While classic games such as Simon Says, Twister, and Tic Tac Toe are great fun, it’s always a good idea to introduce children to games that are educational, creative, and that help boost their skills.
Whether you’re looking for birthday party games or fun indoor activities to do on rainy days, these creative games will keep your child entertained for longer than any board game or card game - and they’re all educational!
The aim of this game is to combine the idea of an indoor obstacle course with spelling challenges, creating a fun learning activity for kids of all ages. Using household items, this DIY game will help your child improve their spelling skills while getting them to move!
Combining physical movement with spelling challenges boosts information-retention and creates cognitive connections between spelling and motor skills. The use of DIY and household items adds an element of creativity and resourcefulness to the learning process - make sure to get your child involved as you’re setting this game up!
To set up Spelling Obstacle Course, you’ll need some cardboard boxes, masking tape, pieces of paper, and empty water bottles.
First, lay out a course through your living room (you can also do this outside), using the cardboard boxes to create obstacles, and the masking tape to create different paths. Then, write different words in separate pieces of paper (use your child’s word lists for extra spelling practice), and add each piece of paper into an empty water bottle. Scatter them throughout the obstacle course, and start playing!
Younger Kids: For younger children, simplify the words and focus on basic spelling patterns. Ensure that the obstacles are also age-appropriate.
Older Kids: Introduce more complex words and spelling challenges. Increase the level of difficulty of physical activities to match the age group's capabilities.
The goal of this game is to improve motor skills, specifically focusing on balance, hand-eye coordination, and overall physical development in preschoolers and younger children, while boosting creativity and storytelling skills!
The use of a “balance beam” encourages children to refine their sense of balance, while hand-eye coordination is honed as they navigate the course. The interactive and playful nature of the game ensures that the learning process is fun and age-appropriate for younger kids.
Firstly, you’ll need to gather some masking tape and small toys or objects to be used in the game - these can be plush animals, small bean bags, books, ...
To set up this creative game, create a straight line on the floor using the masking tape - this will be used as the balance beam. After you’ve done this, place the small objects you gathered along the path you created with the masking tape. Then, have a brainstorming session with your child and come up with different storytelling challenges for each object you've set down. For example, if there's a lion plush toy on the path, you could prompt your child to tell a story set in a jungle!
Preschoolers: Focus on a simple straight-line balance beam with larger toys for easier gripping. You can also make the game easier by giving your child more structured storvy prompts.
Younger Kids: Introduce a zigzagging path and smaller toys to challenge coordination and balance, and encourage them to use different story genres for each object they pick up.
Writing Chairs combines the thrill of musical chairs with a writing challenge, creating a fun and engaging activity for children.
This game encourages quick thinking, creativity, and writing skills as players try to compose a story or sentence when the music stops. It prompts children to express their ideas within a limited timeframe, boosting creative thinking skills.
For this fun game, you’ll need some chairs, a speaker or phone, and writing materials, such as paper, pens, whiteboards - whatever you have at home!
Arrange the chairs in a circle, just like you would set up a game of musical chairs. Make sure there is one less chair than the number of players.
This game combines the classic and entertaining elements of charades with the world of literature, creating a fun indoor game that enhances reading comprehension, creativity, and family bonding.
By acting out scenes or characters from beloved books, players not only engage with different books in a hands-on way, but also improve their understanding of plot, characters, and themes. This family game turns reading into a dynamic experience, fostering a love for stories and encouraging shared laughter!
Gather a few different books from your own collection or from the library. These should be of different genres and difficulty level to keep the game exciting for the whole family. You’ll also need a timer or stopwatch.
The main objective of this game is to motivate children to improve their creative writing and problem-solving skills through the assembly of story "puzzle pieces." This game is also a great tool to enhance storytelling skills and boost imagination!
Puzzle Plot Creations gets children to think critically about plot development, character interactions, and setting descriptions by providing different puzzle pieces that need to be connected correctly in order for a story to make sense.
To set up this creative game, you’ll need to create your puzzle pieces first. In different pieces of paper, write down different story elements, including characters, settings, conflicts, resolutions, plot twists, and more. The more pieces you create, the more stories can be written!
When your puzzle pieces are ready, lay them all out, ready to begin.
The aim of this game is to use a classic outdoor activity to improve children's spelling skills. It makes spelling enjoyable while improving motor skills in a playful and interactive way.
Hopscotch Spelling Challenge incorporates the familiar hopscotch layout and introduces spelling elements, getting players to use both their minds and bodies to learn spelling patterns. The use of paper plates and plastic cups adds a creative dimension to this learning game.
For this game, you’ll need chalk or masking tape to mark the hopscotch grid, paper plates, plastic ups, a marker, and a few small objects.
First, draw the grid on the floor, and use the marker to write different letters or words on different paper plates. Place each plate on a different hopscotch square. Then, place the plastic cups at the end of the hopscotch grid to mark the scoring area.
You can change up the game by using sight words, spelling patterns, or vocabulary words. Be sure to use words your child should recognize.
This game sparks creativity, encourages teamwork, and makes hide and seek an engaging storytelling experience.
Story Seekers encourages children to be creative and work together to build a compelling story. This boosts creative thinking skills and is a great game to build teamwork.
All you need to play Story Seekers is an open space (this is another great outdoor activity!) and some writing supplies, including paper and pens!
If you’re looking for a fun way to incorporate learning into your child’s playtime, you should try Night Zookeeper.
This fantastically fun game is perfect for all occasions, as it turns reading & writing into a video game - so much so that children don’t even realize they’re learning!
There are thousands of educational games available on Night Zookeeper, from spelling challenges to reading comprehension quizzes, but that’s not all! The program also offers interactive lessons, engaging assignments, and printable resources.
Got any questions? Reach out to us via email at support@nightzookeeper.com. Follow us on social media for more tips and free resources: