Playing games stimulates children's imaginations, improves social skills and teaches cooperation, according to HelpGuide.org. While every child is different, some classic, active games have a wide appeal to kids of all ages and abilities. Active games not only promote a healthy weight, but they also set the foundation for a lifetime of fitness and good health, says Edward Laskowski, M.D., co-director of the Sports Medicine Center at the Rochester, Minnesota, Mayo Clinic.
Hide-and-Seek
Hide-and-seek works well for all ages because the older you get, the more skilled you become at hiding and seeking. To play, the "It" player covers his eyes and counts up to a predetermined number. The other kids hide. When "It" finishes counting, he calls, "Ready or not, here I come!" In one version, the kids try to run to base without being tagged. In the other version, you stay hidden until you are found or until "It" gives up. Once everyone has been found or the "It" player gives up, the game ends and the first person who was tagged becomes "It" for the next game.
For younger children, set playing boundaries and rules to keep the kids from hiding somewhere that might be unsafe or from locking doors behind them, for example. Older children often enjoy outdoor hide-and-seek at night or playing flashlight hide-and-seek in a dark house. Play the game in pairs to comfort some kids who might get a little afraid hiding alone in the dark.
Scavenger Hunt
Instead of hunting people, you hunt for objects in a scavenger hunt. Kids can hunt in teams or individually. For younger children who can't read a list of objects, hide the same type of object around your house in the same way you would hide Easter eggs. The child who collects the most items wins.
For older children, compose a list of random household objects such as paper clips, newspapers, buttons and phonebooks, and have the children go door-to-door in teams, asking neighbors for the objects. The first team to return home with all of the objects wins.
Tag
Tag is a game of chase that can be adapted for different age groups and can even be educational. At its most basic level, one player is "It" and chases the other children, trying to tag someone to take her place and become the new "It" player. However, there are many more advanced versions of the game including tunnel tag and call-out tags.
In tunnel tag, when a player is tagged, he must freeze in place. Another player can "untag" him by crawling under his legs. In call-out tag, you pick a theme, such as plants and trees. Once "It" comes toward a kid, she must squat down and call out the name of a type of plant or tree to be safe. If she cannot do so before she's tagged, she's out of the game. A player cannot call out the same name twice. Cartoon characters, foods, colors and states are all possible themes for this game.
