Play Together, Stay Together
When kids play, they learn to take turns and help others. They learn how to be active, healthy and strong. Playing together is a huge gift you can give your child, and it makes great memories.
Fun Activities!
You don’t need a big space or lots of equipment to have fun. Here are some simple play activities to try with your child or as a family:
Planet Bounce
Test out your bouncing skills and see how long you can keep your planet in the air!
Materials
- A few sheets of paper
- A paper or Styrofoam plate
Step 1: Tightly crumple up a piece of paper to make a “planet”
Step 2: Bounce the planet off the plate and into the air!
Keep bouncing as long as you can.
Flying Saucer Throw
Get creative and see how many times you can throw your planet in the basket!
Obstacle Course
Get active and see how fast you can move through an obstacle course!
Fruit and Veggie Card Game
Have fun with veggies and fruits with this colorful card game!
Download Zobey’s Fruit and Veggie Game Cards (PDF, 1.9 MB)
Alligator Pit
Kids practice balance and have fun while trying to stay away from the adult alligators!
Bubble Wrap Jumping
Have fun with bubble wrap! Teach kids the skill of jumping with this fun activity.
Clean Up the Floor
Who knew cleaning up could be so fun? In this game, children get moving and have fun while cleaning up their space.
Healthy Food Hunting
Practice matching and get moving with this fun fruit and veggie card game!
Swat the Fly
Get your kids active and practicing their hand-eye coordination with this fun game.
More Playtime!
Here other activities to do with your child. Put on some comfy clothes, clear a spot in the living room and listen to some music that makes you want to move! Here are some simple play activities:
Walk the Plank
Mark a straight line with colored tape, a feather boa, yardstick or a blanket. Take turns walking along the “plank.”
- Outdoor option: Use a stick or branch on the ground, or a thick string like twine.
- Simple option: Pick a straight line on the floor to walk on.
Tunnel Crawl
Turn two or more empty cardboard boxes into a “tunnel” to crawl through. You and your child can decorate the boxes with markers or stickers.
- Outdoor option: Crawl under patio chairs or low tree branches.
- Simple option: Pretend you are an alligator and creep your way through the tunnel.
Beanie Toss
Set out a small box or bucket and mark a starting line about 4 feet away. Gather small stuffed animals or bean bags and take turns tossing them into the box.
- Outdoor option: Toss bean bags into a hula hoop or a ring outlined with chalk or rocks.
- Simple option: Move your arms like a windmill in big and small circles.
Limbo
How low can you go? Decorate a yardstick or broomstick with crepe paper, or use a pool noodle. Take turns walking under the stick, making it a little lower each round!
- Outdoor option: Do the limbo under a tree branch.
- Simple option: Do back bends or “bridges” to stretch your back.
Hop Like a Bunny
Hopscotch is an old game that all ages can play together. Create a hopscotch course with colored tape on the floor or draw the course on the sidewalk with chalk.
- Everyone lines up behind the first square.
- Taking turns, each person hops through the squares using one foot, then two feet together.
- Once everyone has gone through, start over. Except now skip the first square. Next time, skip the second square, and so on!
- Younger kids can play by just hopping across the board in fun ways. Pretend you are a bunny, a kangaroo or a frog!
- For older kids, let them know that if they touch a line or hop in a square out of order then they must stop and move to the back of the line.
Mix it up!
Draw a hopscotch course with different sized squares, or space them out differently. You can even try hopping through backwards!
Be a Superhero!
Kids love to dress up as superheroes. When you dress up and play together, you can help your kids develop their motor skills and imaginations.
Find Your Hero.
Ask your child their superhero name and superpower. It could be a hero from a movie or a hero they make up. Encourage your child to be creative!
Dress the Part.
Put on costumes using things from around the house. Towels and baby blankets make great capes! Design your own masks out of paper and markers.
Do Good Deeds.
Spread your arms and “fly” around your house or neighborhood. Use your super vision to see if there is anyone who needs your help.
Eat a Super Snack.
It’s important to keep up your super strength! Eat a healthy snack such as banana sandwiches (peanut butter between two slices of banana) or fruit parfaits made with fresh fruit, granola and low-fat yogurt.
Group Games
If you are with a bunch of people, you can start a group game! There are lots of games that are fun to play and don’t require any supplies.
Red Light, Green Light
- Everyone stands along the starting line. The leader stands at the finish line, 10 to 50 feet away. The distance is up to you!
- When the leader says, “Green Light,” everyone moves toward the finish line.
- When the leader says, “Red Light,” everyone must immediately stop.
- The first person to cross the finish line wins and is the next leader.
- If anyone is still moving after the leader says, ”Red Light,” they must go back to the starting line.
Mother May I?
- Everyone stands along the starting line. The “Mother” stands 10 to 20 feet away at the finish line. The distance is up to you!
- The “Children” take turns asking the mother creative questions, such as:
- Mother may I take three giant steps forward?
- Mother may I take four bunny hops?
- Mother may I take two crab steps forward?
- Mother may I do three somersaults forward?
- The “Mother” replies “Yes, you may,” or “No, you may not.” The “Mother” can also give other suggestions, and the “Child” must do what the “Mother” says.
- If anyone forgets to say “Mother may I?” they have to go back to the starting line.
- The first person to cross the finish line wins and is the next “Mother.”
Have any questions?
