1. Marvelous Machine (Each child makes noise and motion. Attach themselves to each other.)
2. Word Find (Make as many 2-4 letter words as possible from the word CATASTROPHE.)
3. Puzzle Round ( Give each team of 3-4 a puzzle with 24 pieces max. Buy at Dollar Store. Score is based on number of pieces used in given time period. For variation: Change partners.)
4. Indoor Scavenger Hunt # 1 (Search out items in your room ahead of time. Make lists and be prepared when you have an indoor day. After the hunt, have children place things back exactly where they found them.)
5. Indoor Scavenger Hunt # 2 (Will be "hunting" for pews which are dusty; windows which are dirty. Always have a list from your custodian or person in charge of things which the children your age could do to help.)
6. Let's Create! (Always have a box of "stuff" :scrap material, Styrofoam containers, craft wire, yarn, string, bags, cardboard, cotton balls, wall paper, straws, etc. These box is perfect for rainy or snowy days for creating -- hats, 3-dimensional pictures, animals, you name it!)
7. Newspaper (Have children write short articles and/or draw pictures.)
8. Puppet Show (Children can make puppets from lunch sacks and create stories for puppet shows.)
9. Crazy Challenges (Each child could create his own challenge and demonstrate - like tossing whatever into whatever -- carnival-type of challenges. Then have an indoor carnival.)
10. Line Ups (Line up according to birth month; to day of birth; by first names in alphabetical order. Be careful of anything children are sensitive about -- such as height. Boys, especially, don't like being short; girls don't like being tall!)
11. Silent Shape Safari (Cut our squares, circles, triangles, rectangles. There must be absolute silence during the game. If anyone talks, they are disqualified. If your group would enjoy it, have each one put a piece of masking tape over their mouth! Have children put their hands behind their backs. Give each one a shape. On signal, they must find all others who have their same shape without saying a word - sit down - and raise their hands. As you do several rounds of this game, you'll begin to see leaders and some creative things happening!)
12. Taped Together (Divide the children into teams. Give each team a roll of masking tape. Rules: No tape in hair. Use up all the tape. All players must have tape on themselves. A follow-up lesson could be taught on teamwork or working as the body of Christ.)
13. Snake Relay (If have enough room inside, divide children into teams of 3 or 4. Children lie down, head-to-toe, in a line just behind the starting line, holding each other's ankles to form a snake. On "go" the snakes wiggle to the finish line. If any snakes let go of themselves they have to start the race over.)
14. 50-Yarn Dash (Two teams - two balls of yarn - 4 rolls of masking tape. Give a ball of yarn and masking tape to first child in each line. Put the other roll of tape 15 feet away. On GO, first child tapes the end of the yarn to the floor at the front of the line and sets down the masking tape and then carefully unwinds the yarn and goes to the other roll of masking tape without pulling up the yarn taped to the floor. If the tape comes undone, goes back and secures. When child gets to other roll of tape, tapes the loose yarn to the floor and places the roll of masking tape back on the floor. Then goes back with yarn to next player on team.)
15. Charades -- or Guesstures (Movements/gestures only -- no words. Children could create their own cue cards -- have on file to use as needed.)
16. Follow-the-leader (Every few seconds, teacher says "change" and next person in line becomes
the leader. Encourage children to be creative in the space allowed. Talk about different things which could be done if your children are not spontaneously creative.)
17. Just for Fun! (Everyone wearing red stand on one foot; everyone who has a pet dog turn around 3 times; everyone who loves pizza pat your head and rub your tummy; everyone who has blue eyes clap your hands 5 times. Each child could write a statement - place in box - draw out.)
18. Paper Airplane Derby
19. Up and Down Bonnie (Sing "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean". As you do, every stands on the first word that starts with a "B" and sits on the second word that starts with a "B" and so on.)
20. Toothpick Creations (Let children make original creations using clay and toothpicks. Use craft sticks for younger boys and girls.)
21. Indoor Obstacle Challenge (Crawl under chairs or tables, over a string attached between two tables, etc. Can add challenges like doing jumping jacks ten times after each obstacle or singing a song after each one. This activity can be put together in any area. Older children can create
their own course.)
22. Up, Up and Away (Pupils try to keep 10 balloons from hitting the floor -- by using their feet, hands, elbows OR knees. When balloon hits the floor, it must stay there. Great fun to work against the clock!)
23. Critter Creations (Have a box of circles, squares, triangles, oblong cut from construction paper. Children create critters -- or anything they want from the shapes.)
24. Cereal Tag (If you have enough room to run from one wall to another, try cereal tag. Write the name of a cereal on the palm of each child's hand with a water-based marker. Be sure at least two children have the same cereal. Divide the children into two teams - with half against one wall and the others against the opposite wall. Choose someone to be IT to stand in the center. When you call out the name of a cereal, those with that cereal name must attempt to run to the opposite goal. If caught, they exchange places. If no one is caught after 3 tries, select another IT and continue.
25. Wild Animal Hunt (Cut out pictures of wild animals and secure to construction paper. Hide these around the classroom. Send the children on a wild animal hunt to see who can find the most pictures. End by eating animal crackers.
26. Trash Ball (Use small basketball hoop or any container. Draw a "free throw" line. Form teams. In front of each team, lay a stack of newspapers. On go, the first person wads up a sheet of newspaper into the shape of a ball - runs to free throw line - tries to score a basket - goes back and tags next person on team.)
27. Hopscotch (Make hopscotch lines with masking tape. Be creative! All kinds of ways this game can be played.)
