There are plenty of classic games to keep six-year-olds entertained. Think of the games you enjoyed, such as tag, hide-and-seek, hopscotch and jump rope and you’ve got a good starting point. For quieter moments, teach card games such as Go Fish or work on kids’ powers of observation with I Spy. Several options exist for parties or backyard fun.
Hoop Chain
For this game, all you need is a plastic toy hoop and a group of kids. Have everyone form a circle and join hands. At one point in the circle, have the kids unclasp their hands and slip the hoop over an arm. Have the kids join hands again. Now, challenge the kids to pass the hoop all around the circle without releasing hands. Kids learn to dip their heads and step over the hoop to keep it going.
Cup Stacking
Cup stacking has become so popular there are cup stacking clubs and championships. To start, grab 15 plastic cups for each player or team. Challenge players to stack the cups into a pyramid. Once the pyramid is built, restack the cups into a pile. Race against the clock or another player or team.
Scavenger/Treasure Hunt Games
The Birthday Party Ideas 4 Kids website suggests scavenger and treasure hunts for parties. With treasure hunts, you can hide “treasures” around the house or outdoors and turn everyone loose on a hunt to find the hidden items. Get creative by drawing a treasure map. With a scavenger hunt, you can provide a written or picture list of items for kids to find. Another option is to ask everyone to gather a designated number of blue items or round items or whatever items you like.
Color Guard
Family Fun magazine describes Color Guard as a mix of tag, basketball and color identification. Gather plastic eggs or balls in different colors—at least one for each player—and put them in a pail. Choose one person to be the color guard and have that player stand by the tub with eyes closed while the other players remove an egg from the pail. Once everyone takes a few steps back, the color guard shouts out a color. Any player with that color has to put the egg back into the pail without being tagged by the color guard. The player can toss the egg, but if it hits the ground, the player has to pick it up and try again. Any player who gets tagged or has an egg caught by the guard is out. The player who lasts the longest gets to be guard next time.
Memory Games
If you’re trying to entertain just one child or a handful, you can have fun with memory games. Put an assortment of items on a tray or tabletop and give the kids a chance to study what’s there. Cover the items and ask the kids to look the other way while you remove something from the collection. Lift the cover and see who can figure out what’s gone. For a variation on this, let the kids study the collection for a while, then place the cover on top and see how many items they can remember.
AmazingMoms.com says you can play another version of the game by changing appearances. Let everyone study how you, or one of the kids, looks. Then send everyone away while you change something about yourself or the child—hair, jewelry, clothing, etc. Call everyone back to see who can spot what’s different.
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