Believe it or not, preschool games and learning don’t need to be mutually exclusive. Many of the classic preschool games we might remember playing as children actually would have taught us a lot. Games are an essential part of the learning process for children. They help children learn to bond with others, build social skills, counting techniques, and so much more. Games are a great way to engage children and burn off excess energy.
At Parkland Children’s Academy, we take learning and fun seriously. We’ve put together a list of our top five preschool teacher approved games and activities. We’ve also included an explanation of what this game aims to teach your children. Let the fun begin!
1. Duck, Duck, Goose
Duck, duck, goose is certainly a favorite amongst the children and is a great game for kids to learn the art of strategic thinking. The way the game works is that the children sit around in a circle. One child walks around the outside of the circle, tapping each head saying “duck”. Eventually the child needs to pick one person and call them “goose”. The aim of the game is for the child to make it back around the circle to where the goose was sitting before the goose catches them. If the child makes it back to the seat without getting caught by the goose, they get to be the one to go around the circle again.
After a while the kids start to learn that there is a strategy to the game. Perhaps they should choose a child to be the goose that isn’t paying attention or hasn’t won a round yet. Duck, duck, goose teaches children to plan ahead and think about their choices.
2. Musical Chairs
Set up chairs in a circle or two lines back-to-back, with one less chair than children in the game. Play music as the children walk around the chairs and pause the music at any moment. When the music stops, the children must try to sit on one of the available chairs. The child who doesn’t get a chair is out. Then another chair gets removed and the music starts again. This game aims to teach children patience and how to deal with disappointment. If they’re out of the game they can still learn to cheer on the rest of the group and wait for a new round to start.
3. Hide And Seek
A very popular preschool game amongst kids and adults is hide and seek. A game of hide and seek is excellent for teaching children the art of problem solving. In order to stay hidden for the longest, kids must learn to assess their options and choose the best possible hiding spot. This game helps create spatial awareness in children and independence from hiding alone.
4. Simon Says
Simon Says is the game where one child asks the rest of the children in the game to complete silly actions by starting with “Simon Says”. But if the instruction doesn’t start with “Simon Says” then the kids shouldn’t complete the action. This game is excellent at helping kids learn to pay close attention to the instructions. Because if they don’t pay attention then they end up being the only ones completing a silly action when no one else does. Simon Says gives kids extra motivation to listen closely to instructions.
5. Hopscotch
Hopscotch is a great game for teaching critical thinking skills and for keeping kids active and agile. All you need is some chalk, and you can create a hopscotch course on the playground. Each child then takes a turn throwing a stone onto the hopscotch course. The kid then needs to complete the hopscotch course without hopping on the square that the stone landed on. It can be difficult to complete the course while hopping on one leg. So, the kid learns valuable skills about planning the best route through without falling.
The Best Preschool Activities in Parkland
If you’re looking for a great local preschool for your child to fill their days with both learning and fun activities, then look no further than Parkland Children’s Academy. We believe in providing a well-rounded education for your children where learning and fun should be combined. Contact us today to learn more about our facilities in Parkland and what activities we offer.