OK, I'm working at a camp this summer and I'm having a really hard time with it. I really need some ideas about games I can play with the kids. There aren't too many times that we get to play but basically there are the times when we have to kill time in the classroom and during outside time. The kids are going into 1st grade. They don't seem to like the standards and are a little spoiled so if they don't like the game they tend to be a little mean about it so I'm try to get a good one. Any ideas? I'm desperate. Thanks!
I used to play a team-building game with my middle/high schoolers, but I think it could be adapted for your age group.
I called it swamp monster, and it works basically like this:
Objective -- Get from one side of the "swamp" to the other
How? Use "stepping stones" (I have used things such as lumber scraps, carpet squares, etc.)
Rules --
1) Each carpet square must have at least one foot on it at all times.
2) If the "swamp monster" sees a "stone" without a foot, he/she gets it.
So, what they have to figure out is that you put the stone down with your foot on it. While one foot is still on it, another person joins you and hands you the next square. And so on and so on.
You may be able to adapt the rules to something like, you have x-seconds to get a foot on the stone before the swamp monster gets it.
Once they get the hang of it, you can challenge them to do it faster, or select two swamp monsters and have them race in teams.
We play a game called Noah's Ark at my son's karate class (he's 5). The kids line up in the back in a single row across, and it's played like Red Light, Green Light. You call commands, like Run to the front of the boat, and they start running. Midways, you say, Back of the boat, so they have to turn around, then you say front, or side, or start calling out animals on the ark that they have to walk/sound like. It's hilarious, and fun, and can take a long time because they never want to stop playing! You tell them to be a fish and they have to flop around on the "deck"...it's just a fun game. Maybe you could try it. :o)
