Musical Planets

We held a space theme day at the vacation care I am working at and I made up this variation on Musical Chairs.

• Put out some hula hoops spread out over a large area. The number doesn't matter at the moment but make sure there is enough.
• Play space related music and encourage  the children to run around like spaceships between planets. 
• When the music stops they have to go to the nearest planet.
• You can change the game by introducing rules such as planets can only fit so many people or a planet might blow up once in while.
• We played for at least 40 mins and the kids ran the whole time.

Artist's site

Buzz Off

This is a fun outdoor game that requires little equipment. It is also called Sharks and Islands.


It is a variation of Tiggy (or Chasey or Tag, depending where you are from)


One person is 'it' and the rest need to run away from him/her. 


The trick is they are only safe when on a marker and only one child can be on a marker at a time. There is always one or two less markers then people playing, which means there are always kids being chased. 


If one child is on a marker and sees another child approaching they yell "Buzz Off Sam!", which means that Sam cannot go onto that marker so Sam continues running. Sam then spots Julie, who isn't paying attention and yells "Buzz Off Julie!". This means that Julie must leave the marker and find somebody else. The game then continues on this. There is no real end point usually when they get tired.

Country Toad

This is another game from the Arcademic Skill Builders' website. This game focuses on geography knowledge, specifically countries and capitals. It is a single player multiple choice game. Click here to play!  

How this toad got a passport I'll never know.

Your toad is sitting on a Lilly-Pad with a capital city label, four countries descend from the top of the screen and you decide where to jump. You do have plenty of time to decide but if you take too long the action can become frantic. The variety of countries is good and the game does get harder as you play.

Giants Treasure

Giants Treasure

What you need

• 5 or more children
• Something to act as Treasure

How to Play

1. One child is picked as giant and the others are Jacks and Jills trying to steal it. 
2. Assemble the kids so the giant is at one end of the play space and the Jacks and Jills are at the other end (No more than 15 meters)
3. The Giant faces away from the Jacks and Jills with the treasure behind him/her.
4. The Jacks and Jills have to sneak up behind the giant and get to the treasure.
5. When the Giant turns around they all have to freeze.
6. If the Giant sees them move he/she calls them out and they go back to the start.
7. If/When a Jack or Jill gets the treasure they need to run back to where they started.
8. The Giant then runs after them.
9. If the Giant tags them then the Giant wins, if the Jack or Jill get back to the start without being tagged then they are the winner and the new Giant for the next game.

Change the Action

Change the Action

What you need

• 10 or more children

How to Play

• Organise the children into a circle.
• Pick one child, usually an older child for the first go, and send them out of the room or so they cannot see the circle.
• Pick one child to be the changer.
• The changer does actions which everybody in the circle then copies i.e. clapping hands, patting lap, rubbing head etc.
• The child who is out of the room them comes back in and stands in the middle of the circle.
• Their job is to pick the changer, usually within three guesses.

Make sure the children are inventive with their actions. This game can be played standing up or sitting down. 

Wink Murder

Wink Murder

What you need

• 8 or more children

How to Play

• Get the children in the circle
• Pick one child, an older child for the fist time, to be 'detective'
• The 'detective' leaves the room or faces a wall so as not to see the circle.
• The adult then picks someone to be the 'winker', making sure not to use any names.
• The 'detective' then comes back and stands in the middle of the circle.
• The job of the 'winker' is to wink at people, who then melodramatically die, and keep going with out being spotted by the 'detective'.
• The 'detective, has three guesses to determine who is the 'winker'.
• When the game is over the 'winker' becomes the 'detective'.

Tips

• It is a good idea to have the 'winker' put up their hand so everybody knows who they are, except the 'detective'
• Make sure the children don't stare at the 'winker' or it makes it too easy!
• Encourage the melodrama.