Keeping preschoolers engaged and interested in the classroom can be quite a feat, especially toward the end of the day when the kids are getting tired and crabby!
One great way to keep the kids entertained is to involve them in exciting classroom games! We have compiled a list of the top preschool classroom games for you to try today!
These games are not only designed to entertain the kids but also to engage their minds and help them to develop connections and friendships!
If you’re looking for some games to play with your preschool kids, you’ve come to the right place!
The games on this list are suitable for kids of any ability, and they will certainly help bring some laughter to the classroom!
Exercise With Dice
This is a great game that will get the kids up on their feet while also developing their skills by reading and interpreting the information thrown on a die.
This game requires two dice. A number die that contains the numbers 1-6 on it and a die with an exercise that is assigned to each side.
If you are playing this game inside the classroom, this can include exercises like jumping jacks, arm flaps, and toe touches.
The children then take turns rolling both dice together.
They should read the dice to work out what it is telling them and perform the exercise the same number of times that is displayed on the first die.
For example, if the dice land on ‘3’ and ‘jumping jacks’, the kids will need to do 3 jumping jacks!
This game is great because you can tailor it to your students.
You can choose exercises that fit the physical needs of your students so that none of the kids are struggling with the game. It gets them up and moving, engaging them both physically and mentally!
Go Fish!
Go Fish is a great game for all ages, and lots of preschoolers will enjoy playing this game in the classroom! This is a great one if you want to keep the kids entertained while they are sitting still.
This game comes in many different versions, so once the kids are aware of the rules, you can play it in a few different ways.
It is a great game for preschoolers as it provides the kids with the opportunity to develop their recognition skills.
They will be required to recognize numbers and quantities when they are matching pairs and sorting through their cards.
When you are playing this game with young children, you may need an adult in each group who can lead the game.
The game starts with one player asking another player whether they have a certain card in their hand. If the player does have the card, they must hand it over.
If they don’t have the card, they will be told to‘go fish’ and the person asking will have to pick up a card from the pile. The play will then move on to the next person.
When a player has 4 of a kind, they should place these cards down on the table. One set of four is known as a book and the game ends when all 13 possible books are made.
The player who has the most books wins the game. Your preschoolers may require some guidance throughout this game.
Hide And Find
This game is great for using and practicing fine motor skills. It is a very silly game that is just plain fun and will be loved by the kids!
This game requires you to add some small items to the modeling clay, encouraging the kids to use their hide-and-find exploration skills!
For the kids, this game requires lots of squeezing and pushing, which helps to build finger and hand strength and improve accuracy.
This is very important when it comes to preparing students for writing.
Balloon Toss
This is a super fun game that will provide your preschooler with some essential gross motor skills!
In this game, you should add some rice to a balloon and have the kids aim the balloon at a target. This will help them to understand how to aim and judge the weight of items.
You can make this game even more exciting by asking the children to throw the balloon at certain numbers, colors, or words.
This will encourage them to understand instructions and practice recognizing numbers, colors, or certain words.
This game is measured by points. If a child gets their balloon onto the target, they will receive a point. Whoever gets the most points wins the game!
Sleeping Lions
I’m sure you’ll be very grateful to have come across this game idea! Sleeping Lions is a great game for both kids and adults as it is very fun for kids.
For adults, it is a great way to get the kids to calm down after a long day!
The aim of the game is very simple. The preschoolers have to lie down on the floor and be as still as they can.
The judge, or the adult in the room, then has to count down from three, after which the kids then have to shut their eyes and pretend to sleep. They must remain as still as they can!
If the kids move or open their eyes at any point, they are out of the game!
During the game, the judge is also able to trick the lions into moving. They are only able to do this verbally, as the judge cannot touch the lions.
If a lion is out, you need to tap them on the shoulder and let them know that they are out. If you are playing this game with multiple lions, the last remaining lion wins the game!
‘What’s Missing?’
What’s missing is a great game to play with preschoolers. This game is very simple, but it is great for helping the kids work on their memory retention skills.
It is an engaging game that will keep the kids entertained for hours!
You will need to divide the children into teams to play this game. Ideally, they will be in groups of around four kids. Each team will get a set of flash cards.
To start them off, you must take the flashcards and show the kids 3 of the cards. Let them look at the cards for a few seconds, allowing them to memorize them.
Then, hide the cards and shuffle them. After you have done this, show them 2 of the cards that you showed them earlier.
At this stage, you should encourage the kids to recall the card that you haven’t shown them this time around.
Once you have shown the children how to play this game, they will likely be able to play amongst themselves.
They can take turns to be the dealer of the game while the other members of their group call out the missing cards.
This is a very simple game that will have the kids entertained for hours! This game is great for a variety of different ages, including preschoolers.
Charades
Charades is a great game for preschoolers that is often overlooked! It is easily accessible to the kids and it provides hours of fun. It will certainly bring lots of laughter to the classroom!
As well as bringing laughter to the classroom, it will also allow the kids to develop important skills.
Through this game, the kids will be able to develop an awareness of how they can present ideas or feelings to others in a non-verbal way.
This game can be played individually or in teams. Playing it in teams with your preschoolers will also help them to develop their friendships and learn to work together with their peers.
Follow The Line
This is a great game for preschoolers if you can take them outside of the classroom for a little break.
This game requires you to grab chunky chalk and draw a long, windy line on the floor of the playground!
The kids are then required to walk along the lines. You might be surprised to hear that that is the entire game! It couldn’t be simpler to set up or play.
This game may seem very simple, but it will bring hours of fun to your preschool class.
It is also great for developing the proprioceptive movement of the kids, as well as helping them to find awareness of how their body moves around in smaller and more complicated situations.
Allowing the kids to spend some time outdoors is also great for them, giving them the freedom to have fun!
Final Thoughts
The games on this list are sure to keep your preschoolers entertained for hours on end! They will bring joy and laughter to the classroom and will provide the kids with some essential skills.
These games are quick and easy to set up, making them perfect for a rainy day. Give some of these games a try today!
Hi, my name is Helena Waters and I was a teacher for 40 years before retiring last year.
During my time as a teacher I dedicated the majority of it to making classrooms as fun as possible, with educational parties, fun activities, and low cost entertainment that made the children excited about learning.
I taught children of all ages, from preschoolers to high school students. Now, with the pandemic having uprooted everything that children once knew about school and learning, I think that the need for my ideas is bigger than ever.
That is why I created School Sparks, a place in which I can write down and share all of my ideas on how to get students excited about going to school again. I hope that you’ll find some useful within a school setting, even at home too!
