Family Activity Ideas for this Week: March 23
Well, here we are, week 2 of social distancing – “Spring Break” Week. You made it through week 1 of the kids at home. As the days and weeks roll on, we want to make sure we are providing you with ideas and resources to keep your families active and engaged. Listed below are more fun ideas for you and the kids!
You might need to alter some of the games, so if that is necessary, have at it.
Movement and PLAY are very therapeutic, not to mention FUN! On top of the physical health, they are great ways to combat anxiety and depression. We really encourage you to jump in to all the action with the kids.
Family Activity Ideas for This Week:
HULA HOOP BOCCE
Put the players in team, or this can be 1v1: Each team receives 6-8 balls. Simple stuff here. The 1st team to roll their balls (1 at a time) into their team hula hoop (20-30 feet away) wins that round. Play as many rounds as you want. Come up with fun versions: Opposite hand, eyes closed, backwards, etc…! A lot of fun, competition, teamwork, arm motions and bending over and standing back up! If you don’t have hoops, you can find some nearby at Piccolo Mondo Toys.
PING TAC TOE
This can be 1v1, or a partner or team game. We set 9 clear plastic drinking glasses up in between each team. This can be any kind of cup, but clear plastic is best for visibility. Each player/team receives colored ping pong balls for their team. Any color works, as long as each team has a different color. At the start, one runner runs up to the 9 glasses in 3 rows of 3, like a tic tac toe game. They bounce their ping pong ball on the ground attempting to get it into one of the glasses. Whether their ball misses or makes it, they run back to their team, and the next runner repeats the same action. The first team to get 3 of their balls in a row, wins the round. It’s not as easy as it sounds, as the balls do not go into the glasses easily sometimes. If one ball is in from one team, and another bounces in on top of it, it’s the ball on top that owns the glass. Play additional rounds where the players have to skip, hop and crab walk.
DICE
TENZIE
A fun dice game. SO many options! Each player received a certain colored set of dice. The kids joined into groups of 2 or 3. Game 1: Pick a # and the 1st player within their group to roll all their dice to match that # wins. Tower Version of that game is identical, but instead of the correctly rolled dice in a pile, the player has to stack all 10 in a tower. If the tower falls, those dice are back in the game and he/she has to start rolling them again. Game 2: Theft: The players agree on a #, say 5. Everyone rolls their dice at the same time. All 5’s rolled …no matter whose dice they are…are fair game. Players grab all the 5’s they can until none are left, and the roll again. The player at the end with the most 5’s wins! More Games: Pyramidzi, Straightzi, Easy Threezi, Sweet Sixteenzi…so many options! If you don’t have dice, you can find some nearby at Piccolo Mondo Toys.
MINE FIELD
The kids partnered up, and one of the kids in each pair donned a blindfold. In a designated playing area, we laid out poly spots, pool noodles, balls and more. The partner without the blindfold had to walk their partner through the mine field and back, without touching the “mines” on the ground. The only way they could help their partner was verbally. Once the first partners were finished, it was their partner’s turn. A great game of trust, communication and teamwork!
PENNY DROP
For this game, you can play 1v1, 2v2, 3v3, etc…! Each team receives a clear plastic tote (or anything large and clear) filled with water, and a drinking glass at the bottom. The challenge is to drop pennies and have them land inside the drinking glass – it’s not as easy as you would think! While this is not an overly active game, it is quite engaging, social, with players thinking of new tactics on how to get the penny to land in the glass. Each team receives 10-50 pennies, and the team with the most pennies in their glass wins…or the team with all the pennies in their glass wins!
