Games are an all time favourite in our home from kids board games to card games to outdoor games through to family board games. Infact, we are hoping to bring out some adult board games over the summer vacay!
Check out some of our favourites:
1.Dinosaur Race – Orchard Toys
A game for our near littlest learners – our preschoolers.
This game involves the mathematical concept of chance. With 2-4 players, each take turns to spin the spinner, telling them which dinosaur card they need to keep an eye out for.
Learners count how many sets of matching cards they have and move this many spaces on the gameboard track.
A game that boosts the skills of matching and counting in an enjoyable way.
Available at most toy stores. We recommend http://www.discounttoyco.com.au
2. Around the World Memory
This is a game for the whole family – preschoolers and up
This game involves shuffling the cards, placing the underside up in random order on the table or floor. We recommend cards line up square in rows and columns to help with visual memory.
Players take turns in turning two cards over in an attempt to match a pair. Players continue taking turns, turning over two cards, until all cards are matched. The winner is the player with most pairs.
We found these cards to be a great way to bring culture and diversity into the conversation as we discussed country names, cultural clothes, appearances, fun facts and life experience/stories to the game.
This game was gifted to us from a local toy store in Tasmania. I am unable to find it online, although, there are similar games available.
3. Let’s Feed – The very Hungry Caterpillar Game
A favourite story for so many learners and now available as a board game.
This game is great for our littlest learners – toddlers + preschoolers.
This game involves each player choosing a caterpillar game piece and placing it on the matching start spot on the gameboard.
Cards are the shuffled and placed down on the sun (middle of gameboard) with the underside not showing.
Butterfly pieces are separated and put on the table/floor with the fruit pieces showing and butterfly side not showing. Place the fruit cards on the outer edge of the gameboard.
Players turn over a movement card and move the number of spaces on the gameboard as the card indicates. If a player lands on a fruit space, they collect a fruit card that matches the fruit they landed on. When collected, players turn the fruit card over to the butterfly side and continue until they have all butterfly pieces to complete the puzzle.
If the player lands on an empty circle, their turn is over and it moves on to the next player.
The object of the game is to transform from the caterpillar to a butterfly.
Available at most toy stores. We recommend https://www.spotlightstores.com/
4. Pop the Pig
A game for our preschoolers and above.
This game involves spinning a spinner, popping a hamburger piece into the pig’s mouth and pump the head. The more you pump the head, the bigger the belly grows.
Available at all leading department stores.
5. Simon Says
A traditional game for all learners from toddlers through to adults.
This game involves calling out a series of instructions and movements and participants copying those instructions/actions as long as Simon Says.
Participants who copy the instruction/action without Simon having said so are eliminated until the next round.
A simple game with minimal resources – voice + action!
6. Hokey Pokey
Another all time favourite for it’s simplicity and lift at the end of each verse.
This game involves The Hokey Pokey song, voice, action and floor space.
Sing a long to the lyrics and follow the actions.
When the song says Oh the Hokey Pokey, lift your little one carefully for a gentle swing or hug. Watch the laughs around the circle!
7. Rocket Game by Orchard Toys
A game for our preschoolers and early schoolers, including up to 6 players.
Players land on a launch pad and collect as many loop the loops that they can. Perfect for developing counting and matching skills.
8. Bluey Card Games
Any other Bluey fans out there? This is a set of Bluey Cards that can be used for a variety of traditional cards games such as SNAP, Memory, Go Fish and Old Maid.
SNAP – Shuffle the cards, then place cards into one pile turning over to the picture side. When players see a match that snap their hand onto the pile and call out snap.
MEMORY – Shuffle the cards, placing the underside up in random order on the table or floor. We recommend cards line up square in rows and columns to help with visual memory.
Players take turns in turning two cards over in an attempt to match a pair. Players continue taking turns, turning over two cards, until all cards are matched. The winner is the player with most pairs.
All games involve matching!
GO FISH – Shuffle the cards and offer each player a set of 5 or 7 cards. Players check their cards and remove any matching pairs in their own pile. These will be counted at the end of the game.
Players take turns asking the person to their left if they have a particular card in an attempt to match it to a card in their hand. If they have a match, it is added to their existing pile.
The game continues until there are no cards left.
OLD MAID – Similarly to Go Fish, players shuffle the cards and offer each player a set of 5 or 7 cards. Players check their cards and remove any matching pairs in their own pile. These will be counted at the end of the game.
Players take turns holding their cards out – picture side down. Players choose a card in an attempt to match it to a card already in their hand and to also have the chance to pass on the Old Maid card. If they have a match, it is added to their existing pile.
The game continues until a player is stuck with the Old Maid card.
9. BALLOON BOP
A game to play with our toddlers, preschoolers and early schoolers.
Blow up a series of balloons and try to keep them off the ground.
10. OBSTACLE COURSE
Embrace the idea of an indoor obstacle course using some resources eg. Crawl through a tunnel, jump in and out of a hula hoop, throw and catch bean bags or balls, balance a bean bag on your head, bean bag toss using a laundry basket, roll balls to each other, crawling races etc. A great family friendly game for multi age learners!
