Animal Kingdom Games

January 9th, 2010 by Dionna | 4 Comments
Posted in Children, Eclectic Learning, Infants, Preschoolers, Toddlers

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It has been too cold to get outside much lately (except maybe to gather snow for snow ice cream), and we have been going a little stir crazy. A friend gave me an idea for a game to help shake some of our sillies out, and I’ve been inventing some new variations to keep things interesting. May I present: Animal Kingdom Games! Each variation should be fun for a different age group.

Variation 1 (Toddlers & Pre-readers)

Find a box, block, or other object with several sides that can be rolled. Cover each side with a picture of an animal: use stickers, coloring pages, or your own artistic skills. Once your box is covered, let your kids take turns rolling it. Everyone has to act like the animal that is facing up when it comes to a stop.
(My friend marks one side “crazy” – if they get that side, everyone goes bonkers for a few minutes. Fun!)

Here is the box Kieran and I made (part of the fun was coloring and taping). It’s a little big to work well, but Kieran had fun tossing it across the room in an attempt to roll it.

Variation 2 (Pre-readers)

Get a piece of paper and some animal stickers (or your own artistic skills). Number 1-6 (for one die) or 1-12 (for two dice), and assign an animal to each number. (Instead of numbers, you could draw dots, like on dice.)
Let kids roll dice and match the number of dots to the corresponding animal – then everyone acts like that animal.

Variation 3 (Early readers/readers)

Same as Variation 2, but instead of pictures use words/names of animals. Kids will match the number on the dice to the corresponding animal.

Variation 4

I’m not sure what age group this would work with – it could work with toddlers if they had adult help. Basically, it’s charades. Using either pictures or words, pair animals and numbers. One person rolls the dice and has to act out whatever animal it corresponds with. Everyone else tries to guess the animal. (Toddlers/preschoolers might need help figuring out the “rules” of this game.)

What does your family do when they are stuck inside?

4 Responses to:
"Animal Kingdom Games"

  1. Rebecca
    Jan-9-10 at 9:43 am

    The 4th variation, is probably fun for the late 3 early 4 and on set, Amelia LOVES Charades, and basically understands the rules, we got her charades in a box for christmas actually, and she is pretty good at it. By that, I mean, we can usually guess what she is acting out. Her boots act out is totally precious, because she literally walks through all the steps.

    A big hit at our house has been snow colors, a pan full of snow plus spray bottles of food colored water and some random kitchen utensils. This morning it is a bowl, a measuring cup, the ice cream scoop and some cookie cutters. Last night the spaghetti spoon, and some toy cups and a plastic knife.

  2. TammyM
    Jan-9-10 at 10:26 am

    I’ve got to be honest and admit that I want to play these games! Does that make immensely immature? :)

  3. Melodie   
    Jan-9-10 at 9:22 pm

    What a neat idea! I’m always looking for new things to do with my daycare kids and this would be great! I’m thinking I might give them each a small box and their own colouring sheets too. So it can be a craft we do over a few days. Thanks for the idea!

  4. Dionna   
    Jan-10-10 at 10:53 am

    Rebecca – I’ve seen that snow coloring idea for outside, I’ve never thought about doing it indoors. Great idea!

    Tammy – no, we like to do them too ;)

    Melodie – I love multi-part crafts!

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