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Preschool games at home


30 Fun Indoor Games & Activities for Preschoolers

Need some indoor games and recess ideas? Tired of musical chairs? You’re in the right place! We all know that kids need to move to burn off excess energy, but it can be tricky when it’s too cold, hot, or wet to go outside.  Instead of dreading those days, here are more than 30 fun indoor activities and games for kids your students will love. These preschool games, music, and movement activities are perfect for indoors and still keep active preschoolers moving and having fun.

Indoor Recess Preschool Group Games

Many of these indoor recess games also help develop important gross motor and social skills – yes, please! And many of these indoor games for kids can be played outdoors too!

4 Corners: This classic indoor game is simple to teach and easy to play. Forgot how to play? Here’s a step-by-step guide to jog your memory. Use pictures of popular storybook characters if your kids aren’t ready for numbers.
Color Corners: Or use colors (indoors or out).

Duck Duck Goose – This classic game is a great way to get a little exercise in, but also helps children develop self-regulation skills and pay attention.

Popcorn! Parachute Game- This whole group game is great for students to learn how to work together. It’s also a great game for developing important gross motor skills.

Bluebird, Bluebird Through the Window –  Watch the video to learn this classic song and movement game. Kids love moving and singing along to this fun game.

Row, Row, Row, Your Boat- Students can be partnered up to sing along to this classic song!

Indoor Preschool F

or Listening & Self-Regulation

Huckle Buckle Beanstalk- Watch the video to learn how to play this 19th century game that still packs a powerful punch today.

What Time is it Mr. Fox? – The perfect fun game for developing important listening and self-regulation skills.

Red Light, Green Light – Students can work on their executive function skills with this preschool game.

Simon Says – 2 Versions
—Snowman Listening Game
—Bunny Listening Game
Do your kids need a little extra help listening and following directions? Then you need these simple Simon Says movement games in your life!

Freeze Dance: A classic game that’s not only fun, but helps kids develop self-regulation skills. Play a favorite song, the kids have to “freeze” when the music is paused. Use a variety of musical styles and tempos to encourage different types of dance and movement. Use your smartphone and a bluetooth speaker so you can pause the music without tipping off the kids. Everybody loves playing freeze dance!

Hot Potato- Your kids will have a blast with this fun, classic game while working on their listening and self-regulation skills.

Chicken Dance- Who doesn’t love the chicken dance? Watch the video to learn how to do this super silly and fun dance!

Limbo – An oldie but a goody! Watch the video to learn how to play this classic game.

Please Mr Crocodile- Please, Mr Crocodile is a fabulous game for all different sized groups, from small groups to large groups of kindergarten or preschool kids.

Gross Motor Preschool Games

Zoo Animal Movement Game- Are you looking for a fun, easy game for your Zoo thematic unit that builds in following directions, listening, and movement?  Roll and Move with the Zoo Animals will give your children multiple opportunities for learning while having fun too!

London Bridge –This one never gets old! Watch the video to learn how to play this classic preschool game.

Farmer in the Dell- This one is fun to sing and easy to teach. Watch the video to learn how to play this classic preschooler game.

Rolling Pin Races- Grab some rolling pins and have fun with these races!

Bowling with Plastic Bottles- Save those plastic bottles for a fun bowling game!

Paper Plate Ring Toss- Recycle some paper plates and make your own ring toss game!

Musical Chairs –  This classic game is great for teaching children patience, gets students up and moving, and learning how to deal with frustration (a very important life skill!)

Ring Around the Rosy- Watch the video to refresh your memory of how to play this classic memory game!

Head Shoulders Knees and Toes- Watch the video and remember how easy it is to play this preschool game.

Hokey Pokey- Your preschoolers will have fun with this classic simple song.

Indoor Music, Songs and Dance Activities

Cool Bear Hunt Movement Song- Students will learn work on their social skills and oral language skills as they go on a cool bear hunt.

Dr. Jean’s Banana Dance-Preschoolers will love joining in on the movements of this song!

Number Race Game- Your preschoolers will have better retention of their numbers since it pertains to their life.

What’s Missing?-Your students will love this game and it’s easy to set up. And it’s a great one for your toddler at a restaurant as well!

Glow Stick Hide and Seek- Did somebody say glow sticks? Grab some glow sticks and play this super fun version of hide and seek.

XO Hop-If you have a small space, but lots of energy then your preschoolers are sure to love this activity.

Animal Hide and Seek –This is the perfect rainy day activity!

Active Movement Activities for Preschoolers

Jump the Candlestick – Move like Jack in the nursery rhyme or think of other ways to move over or around the candlestick.

Dinosaur Movement Game – Incorporate a favorite interest as preschoolers roll and move like dinosaurs.

Weather Movement Game – Can’t go outside? Talk about different kinds of weather in this movement game.

Swatting Game – I guarantee your preschoolers will love swatting letters, colors, numbers, or whatever you choose in this DIY game.

Uno Movement Game – Use cards from a favorite card game to move around the room. Don’t have the game? These color and number cards could easily be created or you could adapt any type of number cards to move.

Dumpster Diving Game – No, don’t bring a dumpster inside. Fill a large box with recycled materials and a few toys. Kids will love searching for the “hidden” items in the box.

Block Basketball – Easily adaptable for younger or older preschoolers. Use materials on hand to create a fun adaption of basketball for preschoolers.

What are your favorite indoor recess games and activities? Leave a comment below, we’d love to hear from you and expand our list of awesome ideas!

25 Surefire Indoor Play Ideas from a Preschool Teacher's Bag of Tricks

Northwest kids are used to gearing up to go outside: hats, jackets, rain boots and gloves. But sometimes, staying inside is the only option, and you need a quick game plan for fun.

Here's a grab bag of easy kids’ activities. Any of them can also be the centerpiece for a preschool birthday party. 

Toys, technology and rules not required. Just add imagination!

Music and movement

Freeze dance

A classic! All you need is music, and the only guideline is to freeze when the music is paused. Encourage kids to "freeze" in fun poses or with funny faces. Use a variety of musical styles and tempos. Tip: An older child can do the music while you dance with younger ones.

 

The sleeping song

Here are the short lyrics "Sleeping, sleeping, all the children are sleeping. And when they woke up, they were all ---." Fill in the blank with various animals, insects, or even inanimate objects and lets their imaginations run wild. Kids love acting like cats, snakes and even robots or babies!

As soon as one thing has run its course, begin the song again in a quiet voice as the children stop and pretend to sleep until the next thing is called. Keep cue cards for yourself, or let the kids be the "caller." They can even help make the flashcards (ex. write "snake" on one side, and on the other draw a picture of a snake). Keep the cards handy; they’ll want to play again and again.

Indoor obstacle course 

Push aside some furniture, and practice gross motor skills without breaking any priceless antiques! Set out a laundry basket and use balled up socks to practice throwing and accuracy. Tape down some yarn or string for a makeshift balance beam. Do moves in place, like running, jumping and hopping. Add yoga moves, use a timer and cheer them on. There are an infinite number of possibilities here.

Scavenger hunt

Take any theme, such as patterns, letters or colors and hunt around the house. Make it official with a clipboard and check off items as you go. Crawl around, reach up high and get down low!

Yoga for kids

If you enjoy yoga, your kids probably do, too! Just remember, they won’t stay quiet and breathe; expect laughter at the names of animal poses and even make up songs as you go. For added literacy practice, make flashcards with the names of the poses and a picture. Classroom favorites are usually airplane (flying warrior), lion and table top. It’s incredible to hear a 5-year-old say, “Yoga calms me down!”

Copy dancing

I think a 4-year-old named this game that originated from a preschool dance party. This game can be played with two to 20 participants, and it’s as simple as it sounds. One person dances while the others copy their moves. Kids love being the leaders, and imitation is, after all, the highest form of flattery. So put on some dancing tunes and show off those moves!

Make up a dance

Five, six, seven, eight! Didn’t everyone do this as kids? I was constantly making up dances with my buddies, and now I do it in the classroom. My organized method is for each participant to choreograph eight counts of movement, and put them together, practicing them in sequence. You can really work up a sweat this way. If this sounds too complicated, just make a Soul Train; no counting required, and it only takes three people!

Story go-round

This is the same concept as the dance-making game. Make up a cooperative story by letting each person add one sentence. Start with characters and a simple plot, like “a dog and cat went to the beach,” and let the children take it from there. The sillier, the better!

Arts and crafts

Homemade collage with reusable materials

Simply provide a few items that can be rearranged again and again. Arrange them on a tray or placemat to make patterns, designs and objects. Since the materials are reusable, take a picture to commemorate each creation. Ideas: craft sticks, buttons, paint samples, fabric swatches, spare keys.

DIY stuffed animals

You really can make a lovable stuffed animal (or insect!) with only four things: markers, construction paper, a stapler and recycled newspaper. It’s so easy and gets the kids excited every time.

Put two pieces of paper together, draw your animal’s outline, and cut it out, making two identical shapes. Decorate, color and add as much detail as desired. Then staple the two pieces together about halfway.

Now for the fun part: Stuffing! Use pillow stuffing from a craft store, or just rip and ball up newspaper, and begin stuffing it into your creation. When fully stuffed, staple closed and you’ve got a keeper!

 

Self-portraits

Using a mirror, let the child draw themselves. Point out facial features like eyebrows and eyelashes. If they draw their whole body, add in some fashion design! Don’t be surprised if your child takes some liberties, i.e. “Yes, I do have rainbow hair!”

Shapes

Help your child learn their shapes by tracing common household items. Turn over a cup to make circles, and trace your cell phone for rectangles. Hunting is part of the fun. Kids may want to decorate their shapes, cut them out and glue them on to larger paper for fancy art projects.

Abacus

Use art supplies to practice math and fine motor skills. You just need string, scissors, tape, paper and beads. Cut a piece of string, tape one end of the string onto the paper and begin stringing the beads. String 10 beads on and tape down the other end of the string. That makes one row. Your child can make as many rows as they like.

Tip: Circle-shaped cereal (like Cheerios) or candies (like Lifesavers) can replace beads in a pinch. Keep the abacus for counting practice.

Ice cube tray sorting and pattern-making

Here’s another way to mix math, art and fine motor skills. You’ll need an ice cube tray, egg container or muffin tin, plus small items to play with, such as various dried beans, buttons, coins or marbles. Jewelry, like plastic rings or earrings have that lost their partner, makes it extra exciting.

Your child can sort the items (by color, size, pattern or any way they like), make patterns with them or invent their own game. There are tons of possibilities and no right answers; this type of play blends logical thinking and mathematical reasoning with creativity.

For extra fun and challenge, use tweezers or clothespins to pick up the items.

Dyed paper

Art, science or interior design? This project is so versatile and produces such attractive results you may want to use it as decoration. Similar to tie-dye, but without the tying, just use paper towels and a few colors of either diluted food coloring or liquid tempera paint to make fantastic designs.

What to do: Fold a paper towel until it’s the size of cracker, then dip it into the paint until saturated, dipping each corner into a different color. Then carefully unfold it and let dry, preferably on a tablecloth or anything you don’t mind staining. Be prepared for repetition as children experiment with different ways to fold the paper and marvel at the lovely results.

When dry, the paper towels can be strung together and hung up, or taped to windows for a stained glass-like effect.

Squiggle art

Each player gets a piece of paper, makes a squiggle on it, then trades with someone. Then make a picture out of the squiggle. The beauty is in the simplicity, as children see that you can turn any mark into art. It’s fun for the adults to see what kids come up with, too!

Bookmaking

Yep, just make your own books. Children have so many stories to tell, and only need help writing it all down. Fold paper in half and staple at the crease to make pages. After the story is written, go back and read it to the child so they can illustrate each page. This simple activity builds confidence, self-esteem and literacy skills.

Collage

Recycle your old magazines and exercise the imagination, all in one! Let children choose and cut their favorite pictures out of magazines (or help them). Then they glue them on paper, then draw and decorate all around it.

Scissors and glue are a must; markers, crayons, oil pastels, stickers and glitter are optional. In addition to magazines, recycle wrapping paper, postcards (you know, like the ones for take-out pizza), tissue paper and (clean) cotton balls to make even grander creations.

Melted crayons

If you have old, broken crayons hanging around, then you have an instant craft project! Reuse those old crayons by making them new again. Unwrap the crayons, arrange them in a muffin tin in a single layer, and cook in the oven on 200 degrees for about 10 minutes.

Let cool, then stick them in the freezer to make it easier to pop them out. Just turn the pan over and you’ll have new cool, round crayons.

Note: When the crayons are fresh out of the freezer, they may not color well. Warm them up in your hands to get them going.

Masks

Homemade masks are fairly easy to make, yet are highly covetable. There are so many possibilities for characters, from animals to superheroes, and lots of variations in how to make them.

Children’s masks can be made out of different types of paper or fabrics, and either tied with elastic or glued on to a craft stick to hold up. The adult will probably need to measure where the eyes should be cut out of the paper or fabric, and how long the elastic should be to go around the child’s head.

No matter how it’s done, it’s likely to get a big smile when the child wears it and peeks in the mirror.

The kitchen sink

Drama

Put on a play using puppets, dolls or just yourselves! Use a favorite book, classic tale or make up your own story. Find props and costumes and play dress-up with younger children, or put on longer plays with preschoolers. Just act it out and have fun.

If your child has a flair for the dramatic, they’ll take charge of this one and it can easily last an hour (“Okay, pretend I’m the queen. Now you say…”). They love it when you just play along and let them be the director.

 

Cooking

When you have some extra time, make up an easy, hands-on cooking project for your next snack or meal. For children, cooking can mean sensory exploration, logical ordering and confidence boosting. Let them do as much of the work as possible.

The easiest recipes are ready-to-eat foods like sandwiches, wraps or rollups and salads. Even sophisticated kale chips are kid-friendly; kids wash the kale and pat it dry, tear it off the stem into bite-size pieces, toss it in olive oil and spices and spread the pieces on a tray. Adults work the oven then everyone crunches away!

 

Gardening

Kids love doing grown-up work, like watering plants, and they excel at playing with dirt. Want some new indoor greenery? Let the kids help you plant, pot and water them! They also love learning plant and flower names.

Music

Try free play with instruments real, found or homemade. Have you noticed your child can make sounds with anything? This is the time to let them bang away! Utensils, hands, or feet can drum a beat. Put dried beans, paper clips, or coins in paper, plastic or cloth bags to make shakers. Make a drum out of an old coffee can.

And don’t forget to sing along! Older kids may enjoy learning beats, following along to favorite songs or making up their own songs. Record their music and play it back for added delight!

Water play

Most preschools have a water table that children use for sensory exploration, dramatic play and more. You can make your own using any sized plastic tub. Let kids use cups or pitchers to fill it with water.

Add natural materials like rocks or crystals, household items like spoons, measuring cups and bowls or any little plastic toys they like. Then let the fun begin! It’s amazing to see the stories children build from just these few items. Sensory play is open-ended, engaging and can also be surprisingly calming for kinesthetic learners.

Editor’s note: This article was originally published in December 2012 and was updated in October 2021.

16 ideas for active entertainment

If the details of your favorite constructor have long been folded in the form of spaceships and futuristic robots, all the puzzles have found their place, and the pictures of your favorite books have been studied up and down, this means that the time has come for outdoor activities.

Outdoor games are easy to organize not only on the street, but also in a house or apartment. Kidpassage will tell you how you can have fun with your family, while developing dexterity, accuracy, reaction speed, and just direct the irrepressible children's energy into a peaceful direction.

Contents:

  1. Outdoor games for children at home
  2. Games for children 2-3 years old
  3. Games for children 4-6 years old
  4. Games for children 7-9 years old
  5. Outdoor games for children with parents

Outdoor games for children at home

When looking for active activities for children - one or the whole company - always pay attention to interests and age. Toddlers should not be given too difficult tasks, and older children are unlikely to be interested in primitive games.

To make this task easier, we have combined the activities into age groups, and you just have to try them out and see which one will appeal to your restless child the most.

Games for children 2-3 years old

A child of this age enjoys running, jumping and performing simple tasks. He already knows some animals and natural phenomena, so even in an outdoor game you can use his little experience, making it a role-playing game.

1. Rain - sun

Suitable for a group of children, and for one child. Agree where the baby's house will be - it can be a high chair or a designated place on the floor. Explain that at the command “The sun came out!” you can get out of the "house", run and jump. On the words "Drip-drip-drip, it starts to rain!" you need to quickly hide in the "house".

2. I will find you!

Good old hide and seek is a win-win game if you want to run and have fun. Invite the child to hide if space permits, but don't reveal his hiding place right away. Look longer, deliberately saying that you can’t find it. You can stand on a small chair or stool, trying not to notice the baby, but actively trying to find him. Be sure to accompany your find with an emotional cue. Over time, offer to switch roles - the baby will also be happy to look for you.

3. Young footballer

You can play football even in an apartment, but on condition that the ball is soft and the player is young. The role of the gate will be perfectly performed by a stool or a construction from a designer. Show your kid how to hit the goal, and then all you have to do is serve the ball and count the number of goals scored.

4. Harvest

Balloons of two colors are required for the game. They should be small or slightly inflated. Give the balls a name (depending on the color), for example, red are apples, yellow are pears or green are cucumbers, orange are carrots. Scatter "vegetables" or "fruits" throughout the room and divide it into two parts by laying a ribbon or rope across the floor. Everyone will collect their "harvest" in their own half. The goal is to do it faster than your opponent. You can collect balls in a bucket, box or large bag.

5. Catch the sunbeam

This is the easiest flashlight game ever. Invite the child to “catch a bunny” with handles on the wall or floor, a leg, two legs, jump from one bunny to another, etc. Such activity is usually very popular with kids and makes it possible to move even in a limited space.

Games for children 4-6 years old

Preschool children are no less active than toddlers, and game tasks by this age can be complicated and diversified. Interesting games can be organized using both sports equipment and improvised means, for two children, for a company, and even for one child.

6. Fast delivery

If your house has a Swedish wall, come up with original entertainment. Hang paper bags with pasted images of animals at different heights (take from those that have an analogue in your house in the form of soft toys). And arrange an unusual taxi: the child will need to "deliver" all the animals to their "houses", climbing different levels of the stairs. Alternatively, arrange a pizza delivery or food delivery to the animal houses, receiving tasks: "Panda ordered a pear", "Teddy bear is waiting for the delivery of apples", etc. Use sets of plastic vegetables or food for this game.

7. Bowling

This game can be played by the whole family or alone. The main thing is to build the necessary inventory from the available materials. Fill empty plastic bottles with candy wrappers, crumpled colored paper or foil, arrange them in the form of skittles and, armed with a small ball (preferably soft if you play at home), start the competition. If you write down the results, you get a real competition. For older players, the task can be made more difficult by making the pins heavier by filling them with water.

8. Lion and crocodile

Mark a small circle on the floor - it will be a lake. Invite your child to be a zebra in distant Africa and tell them that various dangers constantly await the animal there. For example, crocodiles and lions. That is, you can hide from the first on land, from the second - in the water. At the “crocodile” command, the child jumps onto the “land” (that is, from the circle), at the “lion” command, hides in the “reservoir”, jumping into the circle. The same commands can be repeated twice in a row, training the reaction and speed of thinking.

9. Hide and seek in reverse

This game is also called "Sardines in a jar". Ideal for a team of several players. The point is that only one person is hiding - the leader, and the rest go to look for him. Each finder joins the leader without giving him away. The last one to find a common shelter becomes the leader. By this point, the players are stuffed into the shelter, really, like sardines in a can.

10. Air Race

Blow up balloons according to the number of participants in the race, mark the start and finish points, place obstacles (depending on the age of the players) and start the competition. The main condition is to carry the ball from start to finish without touching it with your hands. You can help yourself with your shoulder, nose, head, knee - which is enough dexterity and imagination. The main thing is to be faster than the rest. In a limited space, you will need only 2-3 participants, on the street their number can be increased.

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Games for children 7-9 years old

Younger students already know how to read, count and analyze information, drawing certain conclusions, so why not use these skills in outdoor games? Try to give children tasks that will make them not only move, but also think, so the game will make sense, become even more interesting and captivate them for a long time. However, at the same time, just running around or training dexterity, accuracy and reaction speed is absolutely not forbidden.

11. Higher ball!

Participants form a circle and turn their backs to the center, the leader becomes the center. His task is to count to five, name one of the players and toss the ball high. At this time, the one who was called should turn around and catch the flying ball. You can simplify the conditions by allowing the ball to be caught after one hit on the ground. If a player does not catch the ball three times, he is out of the game.

12. Quests

This game has long gained popularity not only among children, but also among adults. Therefore, the preparation for it will captivate no less than the process itself. Come up with a prize and write some cards with step-by-step instructions. Kids love looking for items using clues. Complicate tasks depending on the age of the players, and experienced participants will eventually want to organize such search activity themselves.

13. Find them all!

Another hidden object game that can be played both outdoors and at home. Draw a sign on a large sheet of paper (as an option, it can be marked with construction tape on the floor - it can be easily removed). In each of the cells, schematically depict the item to be found. Soft toys, cars, a ball, cubes, a set of plastic vegetables and fruits are suitable - everything your imagination is enough for. Hide the selected set of items within a room, apartment or house and invite the child to find them by filling in the cells of the table, laying out the items found in them. It will be interesting to play with two or three people, then each participant will have their own sign, and the search can be arranged for a while: whoever fills all the cells faster wins.

  • A selection of hotels for families

Outdoor games for children with parents

Whether you organize outdoor games for two or a group of children, or you yourself are a player, in any case you will have to join this process. But for a child, the participation of parents and moments spent together is very important. If your kid is sad, he got bored, do not send him to watch cartoons alone again.

Move together: dance, jump, throw a ball, play catch-up. Let the child learn to understand that the real world can be much more interesting than the virtual one, and live communication and contact with a loved one are very important.

14. Get it!

An exciting game can be played with a child aged 2-4. Mom (or dad) gives commands, the child follows them. Alternatively, roles can be reversed or joined in the execution of these actions. Can be offered:

  • Reach the foot to the pillow.
  • Touch the table with the ear.
  • Reach the nose up to the knee.
  • Touch the door handle with your finger.
  • Reach the shelf with the little finger, etc.

Musical accompaniment will make the game even more fun.

15. Bridge

With the child, sit on the floor so that your feet rest against each other (think of it as a big bridge of mom (dad) and baby). Agree which of the fabulous villains you should not miss, let it be Baba Yaga. You say: “Mom is coming!”, “A fox is coming!” - Feet lie flat on the floor. After the words "Baba Yaga is coming!" legs need to be raised up, preventing the evil sorceress from passing. Also suitable for children 2-4 years old.

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16. Answer!

Ball games can be diversified by such activities. You, as the leader, ask a question and throw the ball to the child, the child, having answered, throws the ball back to you. Of the questions you can ask:

  • Who are you to mom?
  • Who is mom to dad?
  • Who is aunt's mother?
  • Who is your brother (sister) for dad?
  • Where does the bird live?
  • What does a cow give?
  • Who is the mother of the chicken? Etc.

Questions can be complicated or simplified, you can use the variant of the game "Edible-inedible", repeating the colors. Agree on what color object you don’t need to “catch”, and throw the ball, naming the words. The game will appeal to children from 4 to 7 years old. Think of questions based on the age of the child.

Keep in mind that children grow up very quickly, and a teenager is unlikely to be interested in chasing or pushing a balloon with you if he has never done it before. Seize the moment, show your child that you can get carried away with the game not only by looking at the screen of a computer or tablet. Have fun together, but don't forget to let your little one play with friends too. Turn on your imagination, and you will see how the baby picks up your idea and complements it with new bright colors. Play and move!

Educational games for children aged 5-6 with their parents at home

Games for preschool children are not just fun, but a necessity. Through the game, the child develops, the formation of his personality takes place. The game helps to master the rules, broaden your horizons, develop perseverance, train mindfulness. These qualities are necessary for an older preschool child, especially before entering school.

Any activity with a child must be age appropriate. In this article, we will consider which games are most suitable for children 5-6 years old, and we will understand their classification.

Article content:

  • Outdoor games
  • Board games
  • Educational games
  • Educational games
  • Advice for parents
  • Output

Outdoor games

Outdoor games for children are useful because they develop reaction, dexterity, endurance, coordination of movements, add extreme sports. For preschoolers 5-6 years old, an outdoor game lasts 20-25 minutes. This type of play allows children to throw out the energy that accumulates during the day.

In kindergartens, after an active daytime walk, children have no problems going to bed during the waking hours. This practice can be used at home when you want to put your baby to bed.

  1. Giant Lilliputians. When an adult says "Lilliputians", the children squat as low as possible to the ground. Hearing the word "giants", they rise up on their toes and pull their hands high up. Make the task more difficult and intentionally confuse the child by naming the word and showing the wrong movement. Playing at a fast pace will encourage the baby to be more attentive and focused, as well as strengthen leg muscles.
  2. "Do the opposite." For six year olds, this game will be a real challenge to train their attention. An adult shows the movements, and the child must come up with a version in reverse. If the leader jumped, the participant of the game sits down. If the facilitator stretched his hands forward, the participant hides them, and so on.
  3. Dance Marathon. Host a dance marathon for the whole family. To do this, you need a good mood, incendiary music and at least 2 participants. To diversify the game, the adult stops the music, and the children freeze in the position in which they remain. Music games improve mood, relieve fatigue and strengthen the relationship between parent and child.

Board games

For children aged 5-6, board games are an exciting activity. This type of game teaches the child to act according to the rules, to wait for his turn, to be able to negotiate. The desktops always have some paraphernalia that you can touch: cubes, puzzles, figures. Tactile contact with them develops not only curiosity, but also fine motor skills of the child.

There are board games that are more suitable for girls, for example with the heroines of fairy tales. It is also important to select desktops for boys taking into account their interests.

  1. Jenga. A popular game that develops fine motor skills. Suitable for adults and children. It is a set of wooden bars. The game begins with the construction of a tower of 3 bars, 3 more bars are placed on top, but in a different direction, and so on with the whole set. When the tower is built, the participants take out a block with one hand so that nothing collapses. The elongated block is placed on top of the tower. The one whose turn the tower collapses loses.
  2. Monopoly. The game exists in various variations. Choose a children's monopoly for children from 5 years old. The number of participants is from 2 to 4 people. The main benefit of a monopoly is that it allows you to master the skills of the economy. All players pass the playing field in turn. The roll of the die determines how many steps the contestant must take. The winner is the one who achieves the bankruptcy of other players and becomes a monopolist.

Educational games

Adults should pay special attention to educational games. The child chooses those games that respond to him. Therefore, the parent manages the activities of his child, offers options for games that help develop.

Consider 2 variants of educational games for children.

For the development of intelligence

Logic games combine 2 important functions - entertainment and development. A child who often plays such games is distinguished by lively thinking, a broad outlook, curiosity and sociality.

Examples of mind games:

  1. Quizzes for which you need to compose questions and prepare prizes for correct answers. For a 5-year-old child, select questions on the topics of fairy tales (“Who left his grandmother and left his grandfather?”), Nature (“When the sun sets, is that called ...?”), Seasons (“What season comes after spring?” ). For 6-year-old children, invite them to answer questions on the topics: days of the week (“What day of the week follows Thursday?”), household items (“What device helps to count numbers?”), social world (“What do they call people who have a wedding?” ).
  2. Solving puzzles is a good way for the logical development of children 5-6 years old. It is necessary to teach the child to guess the encrypted word, starting from simple options. As soon as the baby learns the basics, complicate the puzzles, along the way explaining the new rules.

For the development of speech

Word games with children are very easy to organize at home. Clear and expressive speech, the ability to express one's thoughts will help the child quickly adapt to new conditions at school. Why it is so important to pay attention to the development of speech, read the article "How to teach a child to speak: ways, games and exercises."

Examples of what to play with a child to develop speech:

  1. “Choose a rhyme”. The adult calls the word, and the child comes up with rhymes. Write down all the rhymes and compose a poem with your child. The game allows you to replenish vocabulary and develops literary creativity.
  2. "Pick a word." The leader throws the ball and calls any part of speech (noun, verb). Participants choose the word that makes sense. For example, "ball" - "jumps", "beautiful" - "doll".
  3. "Choose an antonym." The facilitator calls the word and invites the participants to pick up the word in reverse, explaining that such words are called antonyms. The game expands vocabulary and reinforces the concepts of the Russian language.

Educational games

Educational games for children develop mental processes: memory, thinking, imagination. The purpose of the cognitive game is to teach the child the knowledge, skills, actions necessary for further development.

For learning to read and write

Learning to read and write begins with your child's familiarity with letters and sounds. When a preschooler learns to hear individual sounds in a word, then he will be able to write. You can develop this skill with the help of games:

  1. “Name the words starting with the letter…”: the adult calls the letter, and the child selects as many words as possible that begin with this letter. At the initial stage, use pictures with images of words to help.
  2. "Find the letter": an adult shows pictures with images of letters in different fonts and sizes. The child must find the letter that was asked. With the help of visual memory, a preschooler will remember what the letters look like and will be able to write them on their own.

Math learning

Math games help children aged 5-6 get ready for school. Introduction to mathematics begins with learning numbers, counting, and then calculations. It will be easier for a child to master mathematical representations if you pick up entertaining games.

  1. "Geometric shapes". The game with a 5-year-old child is aimed at developing knowledge of geometric shapes that can be cut out of cardboard. The adult calls the figure, and the child chooses it among the other figures. At the end of the game, build a house or any other figure together.
  2. "Tell me, what number is missing?". A game for children who can consistently count up to 20. You must fill in the missing numbers that come before, between or after the given number.

To teach retelling

The ability to retell texts must be trained from preschool age. Do this while doing household chores. Let the child tell what happened in their favorite cartoon or book. To diversify children's activities, use games for five-year-olds and six-year-olds.

  1. Theater at Home. Choose a story that your child likes. Assign roles and arrange a theatrical performance. Children really like to try on the roles of their favorite characters, so remembering the script will not be difficult. Such an activity will teach the child not only to memorize and retell the text, but also to make the speech expressive.
  2. "Letter from a forest dweller". For five year olds, playing with an imaginary animal will be a fun way to imagine how this or that character feels. Prepare a set of pictures with a story, for example, how one day in the life of a hare goes. Invite your child to make up a story from the pictures or complete their own version.

Tips for parents

  1. Discuss the rules before you start playing games.
  2. To avoid injury during outdoor play, instruct and inspect the play area for safety.
  3. Games with children 5-6 years old form behavior patterns, so choose useful options.
  4. Use every opportunity for the development of the child: at home, on a walk, in developing circles.
  5. Sincerely rejoice in the victories of the baby and do not focus on failures. Parental support is important for a child's development.

Read also: what a child should be able to and know at 5 and 6 years old.

Conclusion

Playing with a child at home is a great pastime for adults and children. Unfortunately, there is not always time and opportunity to pay enough attention to this.

Children's clubs and kindergartens "Baby Club" offer parents general developmental and additional programs for children from 8 months to 7 years.

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