Camping Out Ideas

Camp counselor--games to play with 3 & 4 YO boys and girls?

Hi, im a day camp counselor at a local park (swings, playset, feild, etc). My group has two 4 year old girls, one 3 year old girl and two 3 year old boys. Most of the camp is pretty structured, but the Director this year wants us to come to Camp with a "small group" (aka just our group) activity planned for 'small group" time each day. I need some ideas so that I'm not just playing Tag or Duck Duck Goose everyday. Please, not a craft as we already have arts and craft time. It should be about 15 minutes long. Thanks!

Public Comments

1. duck duck goose, or try this Bounce Like a... Game Tell the children that every time you count 1-2-3 then yell out an animal, they have to jump like that animal. Try frog, kangaroo, rabbit, then see what happens when you call out lizard, bird, elephant, fish and snail!! The Giggle Game Have one child lie down in one corner of the bouncer, then have the next child lay down at right angles to the first child with his/her head on the first child's stomach. Have a third child lay down with his/her head on the second child's stomach. Keep on until everyone is lying down. Then have the first child say "HA". This will cause the second child to start laughing then the third, then so on. You may have played this one before, but not in a bouncer! Balloon Fun Grab some balloons and toss them in the bouncer with the children. They can bounce with them and toss them in the air. Tumble Races Have the children take turns with this one. Line up 4 children on one side of the bouncer and when you say "GO" they somersault their way to the other side, touch the wall (or net) and then lay down and roll back to the other side. Make sure the somersaults are on the floor and NOT in the air. Red Light/Green Light When you yell "green light", everyone bounces. When you yell "red light" everyone freezes. http://www.alloccasiondisplays.com/small_children_ideas.htm
2. Here's a game a bunch of bored kids made up. Everyone stands in a circle with a soccer ball. The person who starts with the ball says a word. He kicks it to someone else who has to say another word that begins with the last letter of the word before. For example, if the first person was to say, "Apple," the next person would have to say a word that begins with "E" Could be too complicated though There's also another game revolving around the alphabet. The first person says a word that begins with " A" the next person has to repeat the word the first person said, but then add a word that begins with "B". Ex. A is for Apple, >> A is for Apple, B is for Banana. good luck
3. Egg Relay. All you need is a spoon and an egg for each team. They run (walk really fast) down to a line and back to their team and try to pass the egg and spoon to the next member of the team without dropping it. Ideal for small children. It's fun and kids seem to enjoy it.