Goodness Gracious!!! Some of these games are older than me!! Think of these activities as a "history lesson"!
Mother, May I?
Materials: none
Children line up with their backs to a wall. One person is “mother” and stands about 30 feet in front of the others. One at a time “mother” names a child and tells them a different motion they must perform. For example, baby steps, scissor steps, twirls, giant steps, or frog leaps. The child must remember to ask, “Mother, may I?” before performing the movement or he or she is sent back to the starting line. The first one to reach “mother” becomes the next “mother.”
Sneaky Snake
Materials: none
Have the children hold hands and stand in a long line. Hold the child’s hand at the front of the line and move them in zigzags, spirals, and all around as the others follow behind.
*See if the “head” of the snake can catch the “tail.”
Red Light
Materials: none
Two lines are draw 30 feet apart. The children stand behind one line while “it” stands on the opposite line. “It” turns his or her back to the other players and calls out, “One, two, three, red light!” On this signal, “it” turns and faces the other players. If anyone is caught moving, the player is sent back to the starting line. The first one to tag “it” becomes the new leader.
Wolf and Chickens
Materials: none
Two lines are draw approximately 40 feet apart. The children are the “chickens” and line up behind one of the lines. One child is the wolf and stands between the two lines. The wolf pretends to be a chicken and says, “Cluck, cluck” and flaps his or her arms. But when the wolf shouts, “Wolf,” all the chickens must run to the other line. If the wolf tags them, they must become wolves, too, and help the wolf catch the other chickens. The game continues until all the chickens are caught. The last one caught becomes the wolf for the next game.
*A similar game called “sharks and minnows” can be played. Have the minnows get behind a line as the shark tries to catch them when “shark” is called.
Duck-Duck-Goose
Materials: none
Children form a circle and one child is chose to be “it. “It” walks around the outside of the circle saying “duck” as he or she touches each player on the head. Players squat down as they are tapped. If “it” touches a child and says “goose,” that child must chase “it” around the circle before “it” can get back to “goose’s” place. If “it” is caught, he or she must sit in the center of the circle. “Goose” then becomes “it” and the game continues.
*Adapt this game to different holidays. For example you could do “bat-bat-witch” in October.
Statue
Materials: none
Divide the children into groups of four or five. Each group thinks of a statue they can make with their bodies. (Let them think of a title for their statue, too.) Groups perform their statue for their classmates, while classmates try to guess what their title or theme might be.
*Increase the size of the groups to see how many people they can incorporate into their statue.
Follow the Leader
Materials: none
One person is chosen to be the leader. The rest of the class marches behind the leader and does just what the leader does. The leader can walk, hop, run, skip, wave their arms, go under something, slide down the slide, and so forth. After several minutes another child is chosen to be the leader.
What were your favorite games when you were a child? Wouldn’t it be fun to teach your students or your own children a special game you remember from your childhood!