Engaging and entertaining young children, Games to Play With 6-7-Year Olds can be a delightful challenge.
At this age, their curious minds are eager to explore new activities and experiences.
Games play a crucial role in fostering their cognitive, social, and motor skills development, all while having loads of fun.
Whether you’re a parent, teacher, or caregiver, introducing the right games can provide hours of entertainment and valuable learning opportunities for these energetic and imaginative youngsters.
we’ll explore a variety of interactive and enjoyable games that are perfectly suited for 6-7-Year Olds, ensuring both laughter and growth in equal measure.
Obstacle Course Adventure:
Setting up an obstacle course in your backyard or indoor space can be an exhilarating way to engage 6 and 7-year-olds in active play. Design a route using items like hula hoops, cones, pillows to hop over, and ropes to crawl under. Challenge them to complete the course in the fastest time or encourage teamwork by having them navigate the course in pairs. This game not only enhances their physical coordination but also boosts problem-solving skills as they figure out the best way to conquer each obstacle.
Treasure Hunt:
Ignite their sense of adventure with a treasure hunt! Create a simple map or a series of rhyming clues that lead them from one location to another. The final destination can hold small treasures like stickers, toys, or treats. This game promotes critical thinking as they decipher clues and follow directions, all while having a blast. You can tailor the difficulty of the hunt based on their age and familiarity with the environment.
Simon Says:
A classic game that never goes out of style, Simon Says is perfect for enhancing listening skills and concentration in young children. One player takes on the role of “Simon” and gives commands like “Simon says touch your toes” or “Simon says hop on one foot.” The catch is that players should only follow commands that begin with “Simon says.” If Simon gives a command without saying “Simon says,” anyone who follows that command is out. The last player remaining becomes the next Simon. This game is not only entertaining but also hones their ability to pay attention to details.
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Story Building with Picture Cards:
Encourage creativity and language development by playing a story-building game using picture cards. Gather a deck of cards with various images, ranging from animals to objects and places. Each player draws a card and contributes a sentence to a collaborative story based on the drawn image. This activity sparks imagination, expands vocabulary, and promotes cooperative storytelling as the children weave their unique narratives together.
Freeze Dance:
Unleash their boundless energy through a lively game of freeze dance. Play some upbeat music and have the children dance around the room. When the music stops, they must freeze in their current pose. Add an element of creativity by designating themes for each round, such as dancing like animals or mimicking their favorite characters. This game not only keeps them active but also sharpens their ability to react quickly to changing circumstances.
Colorful Scavenger Hunt:
Spark their curiosity and observation skills with a colorful scavenger hunt. Give them a list of colors and ask them to find objects around the house or outdoors that match each color. For example, they might search for something red, something blue, and so on. This game sharpens their ability to differentiate between colors and encourages them to explore their surroundings in a new and exciting way.
Memory Matching Game:
Boost their memory and concentration with a memory matching game. Create pairs of cards with matching images or objects, then lay them out face down. Players take turns flipping over two cards at a time, trying to find matching pairs. If they find a pair, they keep it; if not, the cards are turned face down again. This game not only challenges their memory but also offers friendly competition as they strive to find the most pairs.
Balloon Volleyball:
Indoor or outdoor, balloon volleyball is a low-impact and engaging game for young kids. Use a soft balloon as the “ball” and designate a net or line for the “court.” Players hit the balloon back and forth, trying to keep it from touching the ground on their side. This game improves hand-eye coordination and teamwork while providing a healthy dose of physical activity.
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Paper Plate Disc Toss:
Craft a simple and enjoyable game by turning paper plates into flying discs. Decorate the plates and gather a laundry basket or a target area. Have the children stand a few feet away and take turns tossing the paper plate discs into the target. Adjust the distance based on their skill level to make it more challenging as they improve. This activity enhances their throwing accuracy and offers a fun outlet for their creativity.
Nature Bingo:
Take the kids outdoors and introduce them to the wonders of nature with a game of nature bingo. Create bingo cards with pictures or words representing different items they might find outside, like a flower, a rock, a bird, or a leaf. As they explore their surroundings, they can mark off the items they spot on their bingo cards. This game nurtures an appreciation for the natural world while encouraging outdoor exploration and learning.
Sock Puppet Theater:
Unleash their creativity with a sock puppet theater. Provide them with old socks, markers, buttons, and other craft supplies to transform the socks into unique puppet characters. Then, encourage them to put on a puppet show using their newly created characters. This activity enhances their storytelling abilities, fine motor skills, and imaginative thinking.
Duck, Duck, Goose:
A timeless game that guarantees giggles and excitement, Duck, Duck, Goose is perfect for groups of 6 and 7-year-olds. Have the children sit in a circle. One player walks around the outside, tapping others on the head, saying “duck” each time. When they say “goose,” the tapped player must quickly get up and chase the first player around the circle. If the first player reaches the empty spot before being tagged, the chaser becomes the new tapper.
Build-a-Story Card Game:
Enhance their storytelling skills with a build-a-story card game. Create decks of cards, each featuring different story elements like characters, settings, and objects. Each player draws a card from each category and then takes turns incorporating their drawn elements into a collaborative story. This activity nurtures their imagination, language development, and cooperative abilities.
Animal Charades:
Combine creativity and movement with a game of animal charades. Write down the names of various animals on slips of paper and place them in a bowl. One player picks a slip and acts out the animal without making any sounds, while the others guess the animal. This game not only promotes physical activity but also encourages expressive gestures and imaginative play.
Musical Chairs with a Twist:
Put a twist on the classic musical chairs game by adding different challenges to the mix. Instead of simply walking around chairs, include tasks like hopping, spinning, or crawling between chairs when the music stops. This variation not only keeps the game exciting but also helps them develop their coordination and balance.
Simon’s Memory Game:
A twist on the classic Simon Says, this memory game challenges their recall abilities. Start by having one player say, “Simon remembers…” followed by an action like touching their nose or clapping their hands. The next player repeats the action and adds a new one. As the game progresses, players have to remember and replicate an ever-growing sequence of actions. This game enhances memory, concentration, and sequencing skills.
Paper Airplane Races:
Combine creativity and friendly competition with paper airplane races. Help them fold paper airplanes and then set up a race track (indoors or outdoors) where they can launch their planes. Measure the distances each plane travels and record the results. This activity improves their folding precision, fine motor skills, and understanding of basic physics concepts.
Outdoor Art Gallery:
Let their artistic talents shine with an outdoor art gallery. Provide them with chalk and encourage them to create colorful masterpieces on the pavement or sidewalk. Once they’re done, admire their artwork and discuss their creative choices. This game promotes artistic expression, fine motor skills, and an appreciation for the visual arts.
Number Hunt:
Make learning numbers an adventure with a number hunt game. Write or print out numbers on small pieces of paper and hide them around a designated area. Give each child a list of numbers to find. As they locate the numbers, they can cross them off their list. This activity reinforces number recognition and counting skills in an engaging and interactive way.
Rainbow I Spy:
Combine colors and observation skills with a rainbow-themed I Spy game. Call out a color, and the children must search their environment for objects that match that color. For example, if you say “blue,” they might point to the sky, a blue flower, or a blue toy. This game sharpens their color recognition, vocabulary, and attention to detail.
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