You (or an older child) are the teacher. Your job is to give the spelling word.

This contest is really a fun spelling bee. At the beginning, decide two or three actions that will replace letters. Start easy. Increase the number of substitutions as the players become used to the activity. Decrease the number if the youngsters are very young.

After you say the word, the child(ren) spells it except he does the agreed upon movements instead of some of the letters.

Example: Instead of saying the letter "T" you decided to touch toes. "E" is pulling the ear (one's own!). So the word ""steak" is spelled--"s-touch toes-pull ear-a-k."

If someone misses, he has to sit out. Another alternative is to play for points.

This game could also come to the rescue during the school year to spice up spelling class.

Everyone gets a paper plate and crayons.

Now, one person decides what all players should draw. It might be the family pet, Mary, the White House, etc. Imagination...imagination...imagination...

However, the trick is that each must put the paper plate on his head to draw the assignment! Whew!

Take another try. Someone else designates the object.

This is a variation of the above game.

Play at night or in a darkened room.

One participant is the storyteller. He can retell a fairytale or make up his own.

The others take up pencils and paper and prepare to draw. Several times throughout the narrative, the teller will periodically halt and order, "Draw ____________." This will be a character or place in his yarn.

In the darkness, the players will do their utmost in their portrayals.

The winner is chosen by the storyteller or by consensus of the group.

If you are politically correct, please skip this activity.

This activity needs at least 4 players.

Cut small pieces of paper. Put an "X" on one. Fold and shuffle them.

Each player takes one paper. Secretly, open them. Whoever has the "X" is the assassin.

All sit in a circle and look at each other.

The assassin then winks at one player when he thinks no one else is looking. That person says, "I'm hit." and is out of the competition.

If someone catches the assassin winking, he points to the assassin and yells, "Assassin!" He is the winner.

However, if the assassin gets away with winking at all the other children (except the last one, of course), he is the winner.

Keep these games at the ready. They will cheer up any "boring" day.

Active Inside Games

Boisterous Outside Activities

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