subject: Fun activities for kids - indoor games - all around the table - part 1 [print this page] Copyright (c) 2010 Ivana KatzLooking to entertain your children during long stretches of rainy days or whilst on holidays? Here are some fun ideas for you.Whoops Freddy! Age suitability: 8+One person picks a name, for example George. Each of you considers everyone you know called George - friends, relatives, neighbours, plus the likes of St George, George Clooney, George Bush, George Michael, Georgie Porgie and Curious George. Allow yourselves two minutes' thinking time while you count up the Georges in your heads, then declare your final number and discuss each other's lists. You're also allowed to have a Whoops George. What this means is that you're always able to declare at least one name, even if Ezekiel has been chosen!Super Sevens Age suitability: 10+ You will need: a deck of cardsSuper Sevens is a card game, the aim of which is to be the first player to get rid of all your cards. Clear some space in the middle of the table. Deal out seven cards each and place the remaining pack face down. Player one places any seven in his/her hand face up in the centre. Let's say the seven of hearts is played - player two can now play either the six or eight of hearts, placing it either to the left or right of the seven. If the six is played, then player three can add on either the five or the eight of hearts, etc.Open up other lines of play by placing the seven of a different suit underneath the initial row. If you cannot play any card in your hand, pick up a card from the remaining stock. Once it is exhausted, simply knock and miss a turn if you can't play. Tactics will become clear the more that you play the game.The Yes / No Game Age suitability: 4+The old favourite! One player asks the questions, for example "Cassie, are you feeling hungry?" or "Joe, do you like dancing?" but the answer must not involve saying yes or no. Reply instead with "I'm completely starving" and "Well it's not my thing really". And no shaking or nodding of the head is allowed. If anyone does slip up, they become the questioner.Silent Penny Age suitability: 4+ You will need: a coinOne of you is the guesser and counts to 20. Everyone else secretly passes a coin under the table from player to player without the guesser seeing who has it. When time is up, the guesser calls "All hands on deck", and the rest clench their fists and bang their knuckles down on the table. They then slide their fingers forward, slowly and carefully, so that they end up with palms flat and fingers fully extended. If you have the coin, this is difficult but not impossible to do without the coin making a revealing clonk. If you are not holding the coin, perhaps try to make the guesser believe that you are to throw him off the scent. The guesser scores a point if he chooses the hand with the penny. Take turns to be the guesser.21 Knockout Age suitability: 6+This is a great time-filler while waiting for your meal. Go round the table taking turns to count in sequence from one to 21. Each player can choose to call out either one, two or three numbers at a time. If you are the person who is forced to say 21, you lose a life. Three lives each. Simple concept. Hugely fun!Piggy Age suitability: 6+ You will need: a dice, pen and some paperYour children will want to play this over and over again. The first player rolls the dice, adding up the score aloud as they go, but if they roll a one, they lose their score for that turn and pass the dice on to the next player. Keep on rolling for as long as you dare to try to increase your scores.Whenever you think your luck is about to run out, stop rolling, write down the score and pass the dice on to the next player. That score is then safe and cannot be lost on subsequent turns. The first player to reach 101 points is declared the winner.Collywobbles Age suitability: 10+ You will need: one/two decks of cardsYou can play with just three, but four or more players is ideal here. You'll need to shuffle two packs together if this is the case. Master the basics for the first round. Deal seven cards each, then lay the remainder face down, turning the top card over to reveal the first card. The person on the dealer's left can now play one card from his hand, as long as it is either the same number or the same suit as the first card. He places it on top of the first card, and the next player must now match his card. If you have no matching cards, knock on the table, pick up an extra card from the pack and miss your go. Continue until one person wins by getting rid of all their cards.Now inject the fun. Invent rules along the following lines: Jacks change the direction of play; fours skip a go; sevens and nines are wild; whoever plays the Queen of Spades has to shout, "Knickers!", etc. Add new rules each round so the game becomes more complex as you progress. If anyone makes a mistake or forgets a rule they must pick up an extra card (or three if they get stroppy). As you play your penultimate card, you must say "Collywobbles", so that other players know you're close to winning and can play any appropriate cards to try to stop you.
Fun activities for kids - indoor games - all around the table - part 1
