5 Fun Games to Play with Friends

Let's face it, kids love to play and play is good for them. It provides a variety of movement opportunities that develop fine and gross motor skills and encourage interaction with peers. The following creative movement activities double the pleasure because they're done with friends. Great with a group of kids at a party as well.

5 Fun Games to Play With Friends:

Newspaper Bag Catch -
This movement activity is great for building both small and large muscle development. Divide your children and friends into groups of two. Give them each a pile of newspaper and an empty grocery bag. On the count of 3 - ask the kids to crunch the newspaper into balls and place them into the bag. When the bag is full, don't throw it away - staple the edges together, move into a safe space, and play a lively game of 'catch' together!

Sort Those Socks-
Give each pair of children a large pile of socks on the other side of the room. At the word, "go", let the kids race to the pile, find a sock, pull it over their foot and then find a matching sock for the other foot. Whoever finishes first, runs back to the starting line.

Shifting Shadows-
This movement activity helps children learn to balance and make slow, graceful movements. Take the children outside on a sunny day and help them to find their shadows. Give them the opportunity to see their shadows and follow their every move. Next, place children in pairs and have them stand opposite each other. As one of them moves, the other has to make the exact same movement.

Friendship Tangle
This movement activity makes it easy to become friends. Tie one end of a ball of yarn to the first child's waist. Tell her to go and give the ball of yarn to another child. That child wraps the yarn around her waist one time and then passes the yarn to another player until everyone is hooked together with the yarn. The fun begins when the kids try to get untangled!

Bean Bag Play
Provide several bean bags per child. Put on some music that invites children to dance around the play area. To challenge skills of balance, have the kids try to move while balancing a bean bag on a body part, such as their head, shoulder, top of foot, or elbow. As the children become skilled, encourage them to balance two bean bags on two different body parts. This takes concentration and problem solving!

You can set the stage for cognitive development and physical development when you offer movement activities that encourage the kids to problem solve. Children can enjoy their playtime with these 5 fun games to play with friends.

Source: Personal Experience