Simple Games for Parents and Children to Have Fun Together!

We ran two Family Night events for the congregation at the Penonome Church. Parents and kids alike had a lot of fun playing these easy games.

One of the very popular games was Bingo. We called out the numbers in both Spanish and English so that we could learn from each other.

We also play other games that required no special equipment and could be played anywhere!

This was what we did for the Family Night Group Games:

1. Paper/Scissors/ Stone - Instead of playing this game the traditional way, this game is great for the whole family, both for the young and old and with some physical movements.

When the IT shouts out Paper, everyone crosses his/her hands and legs to act like scissors to cut the paper
When the IT shouts out Scissors, everyone squats down and holds his/ her body tight like a stone to crush the scissors
When the IT shouts out Stone, everyone stands and spread his/ her hands out to be a piece of paper to cover the Stone.

The person who can't do the action properly will be out. The game continues until one person is left to be the winner.

2. Do the Opposite of What I Say

e.g. When the IT points and say "Up", everyone points to the opposite direction. The person does not do the opposite, he/she will be out.

3. Freeze - The whole group stands at the other end of the room trying to advance to the opposite of the wall. The IT is facing the target wall. People will be walking, running to the target wall. When IT calls freeze, everyone needs to stop and freeze i.e. cannot move. The person who cannot stop in time or moves will be out.

4. Tableau - very similar to the Freeze game. When music is play, everyone dances or moves . As soon as music stops, everyone freezes and holds his/ her post and be still like a statue

5. Big Winds Blow - Everyone sits in a circle. The IT starts the game by saying:

" The Big Winds Blow, blowing people wearing red."
Everyone wearing red has to get up and move to a seat opposite from him/her. The IT will try to get a seat. The person who does not have a seat will be IT.
The IT will then continue the game by making up another sentence such as:

" The Big winds blow, blowing those with a nose.|" Then everyone moves and the game repeats
itself.

Enjoy these games with your family/ church groups etc!

R.T.
Penonome, Panama