Reasons to consider children games

There are great advantages in using games for children as they are learning. There are two kinds of games for children to be considered: both board and physical action games. Board games develop many skills such as focus, mathematics, spelling and business skills. They are a great back up for those rainy days. Hidden advantages from these activities are that they assist in developing character and relationship skills, for effective communication. The more humour one can bring into a game, the more learning becomes fun and easy. Parents need to be especially aware of the very competitive child as these can easily get upset and sulk if they do not get their own way. Children's party ideas

Make sure the games are not too competitive at first and check that the child is the appropriate age for the activity chosen. At first you may need patience and more patience. Soon things will improve and the very important skills will start to develop. Keep your eyes open for special deals to buy and bargains at a charity shop or fete. Some card games can be played by one person and these can be great for an only child.

Younger children love making tents and houses with cushions and couches on a rainy day. Tweens love planning and making an obstacle course, so give them an area where they can do this. They can use tables, chairs, sticky stuff and string along with their imaginations. Blindfolds are fun and handy in playing Marco Polo, Adam and Eve and Putting the Tail on the Donkey. Let the children draw their own donkey where possible. Playing outside can become wild if there are no rules and purpose. Look around for books with ideas to play outside.

Activities can even fit in with Bible stories, so making the Bible characters and stories easier to remember. With only a few things such as bean bags, a ball, elastic, chalk, skipping rope, a box and hula hoops, your boys and girls can come up with some amazing creativity all by themselves. Always remember to keep an eye on them and make safety suggestions and rules if need be. Beware not to stifle their ideas, give them that all important learning curve, by asking them questions to help them solve their own dilemma.

Noughts and crosses and Hangman: on paper and paving stones. Use chalk as it washes off easily. Hopscotch: Use coloured pillowcases on a carpet inside and chalk outside. Musical statues and its variations is an excellent ice breaker to get a party going. You can also use hula hoops on the floor to jump in once the music has stopped. Targets: Use some sticker type rough sided Velcro on a target at the back of a door or above a bed. Use a baby ball or a soft ball covered with some polar fleecing. Outside you can make a target against the jungle gym. Use the soft side of the sticker type Velcro on a soft ball. Make your own skittles out of old empty plastic water bottles.

As a craft they can first be decorated with paper and/or paints. Kids can also make their own bats using two to three layers of box cardboards stuck together. Decorate these bats with paint. Amazing how strong box cardboard can be. Cutting up string in small pieces and hiding them in a room can be great fun. Remember to count how many pieces you hide! Score points accordingly.

Play a fun activity with two fact books about the biggest and the best in the world. You also need a scoreboard and a stop watch. Divide tweens into two groups. Ask them to look up the biggest and smallest plant; insect; reptile; flower; aeroplane; car; chameleon; fish; ship; reserve; egg; wave; the driest places; the wettest; in a specific country, etc. Either in books or on the internet. Give them a time limit to look up the answers and check on their progress.

For younger children you can use bean bags in races of different kinds. With each new race you can give new instructions to those racing. “Carry the bag on your chin, shoulder, knee, head, chest, back, foot, elbow and arm.”

Unorganized or no rules games such as crawling, splashing, climbing, spinning out in nature are all great therapy for the whole family. It is good for boy as well as girl to rough and tumble with their parents especially if they are going through a growth spurt, as this helps with the proper development of nerve endings. Emotionally this is also a bonding experience. More and more parents and teachers are becoming aware of the importance of moving and the benefits for brain development.

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