Three in a row game

This week I have been sewing a home made three in a row game which will be going to a special place very soon.  You don't have to be able to sew to make to make something similar.  Felt is such a fab fabric that can be cut so easily into any shape.

Use a larger piece for the game board.  Use can use some fabric glue and ribbon to mark out the squares ready for play and away you go.  You can personalise to your child's interests whether its butterflies, flowers, dinosaurs or pirates.  The opportunities are endless.  

Great for developing:

• Language skills through play
• Social skills
• Develops coordination / fine motor skills

Here are some more ideas I have come across on Pinterest:

How fantastic is this Ladybird and Bumblebee set using painted stones and a log?

I love this simple idea using sticks to make the board, easy and cheap too!

Another easy one to put together using buttons.  If you haven't any spare buttons, you can buy some amazing shaped ones in your nearest fabric store these days in all shapes, sizes and colours.

This idea is one of the best cheap ideas to make a background game board using a cheap canvas, ribbon and cut out felt shapes.  Most of which, if not all of these can be purchased in the pound shop!

Kim's game

When I was little we used to play a game called Kim's game.  It was a memory game which I know most of you would have played and probably still do with your children, although it may be called something else.  Basically its a game of  memory skills, developing vocabulary and hiding objects.

You will need:

• A tray or something similar to put the objects on
• A selection of your child's toys - small enough to fit on the tray but not too small.  Only use a few items at a time depending on the child's age. 
• A tea towel or towel to cover the items

How to play:

1. Add the selection of toys to the tray.  Only a few items for younger children.  You can add a few more for older children as soon as they get used to the game to make it a little harder
2. Make sure you both have a comfortable place to sit and play the game.  By the table or on the floor depending on where you are most comfortable
3. Show each item on the tray and name it with the child.  Let them have a good look at what is on the tray
4. Cover the items on the tray with the towel and take an item away without your child seeing the item 
5. Once you have done this uncover the tray and ask your child to see if they can tell you what's missing
6. Take it in turns to have a go.  This is a good old fashioned game that is totally free to play because you have everything you need at home

This game helps children to:

• Take turns
• Develop eye contact
• Develops social skills
• Develops listening skills
• Develops vocabulary
• Develops memory skills
• Develop a sense of achievement by finding out the missing item

Here is one I played recently with my friends little boy who is dinosaur mad .

Balls and chutes

One of the best free items that can be used to make lots of different toys for a child is the inside cardboard tube from a roll of wrapping paper.  Whether its Christmas or birthdays we usually end up with one of these at some point.  You could even use a poster tube. 

Babies love posting things into holes and young children love the element of surprise of what's going to come through the other end.

Add some of your child's smaller toys (but nothing too small that could be a choking hazard) such as cars or soft balls etc to make one of the best games.  This activity will help develop listening skills as you wait for the toys to roll and drop.  If you hold the tube in deferent ways the toys will take a faster or slower time to come through the tube. 

How will this game help children?

• To have fun and enjoy taking part in the interaction with you
• Develop their language skills / communication skills - taking turns in the conversation and listening
• Develop concentration skills by listening and watching
• Develop prediction skills - ask the question what do they think will happen next?

What you will need:

• Cardboard tube
• Soft balls or smaller toys (but nothing too small that could be a choking hazard)

Tickle games

Lots of children love tickle games played with them, especially the element of surprise of where they are going to be tickled.  Will it be their feet, hands, neck etc.  Round and round the garden is a great rhyme for this and one that most of us know.  So how do tickle games help babies and young children?

• Helps them to react to the words and actions in the rhymes
• They encourage taking turns in conversations
• They encourage children to become more confident in communicating

You could also add a feather to the game if children are not allergic to them in any way.  A really good rhyme to add a feather to a tickling game / rhyme is this one:

The terrible tickle

I've got a little tickle

In between my toes.

Tickle, tickle, off you go!

Away the tickle goes.

Now that little tickle

Is tickling my knee.

Tickle, tickle, off you go!

Don't you tickle me!

That silly little tickle

Is tickling my tum.

Tickle, tickle, off you go,

Or I'll tell my mum.

That naughty little tickle

Has jumped behind me ear.

Tickle, tickle, off you go!

Stop it, do you hear!

That terror pf a tickle

Is tickling my nose.

Tickle, tickle, off you go!

It's gone.....

back to my toes!

Home made balloon tennis

I had great fun making this cheap and easy home made tennis game.  I choose ladybirds because of the theme I am working on with the families I work with at the moment. 

The best thing about this game is that the bats can be personalised to your child's interests and can be easily replaced when worn out from all the fun.

You will need:

• 2x paper plates for each bat
• 1 x balloon
• Red and black paper to decorate as ladybirds
• White card or paper for the eyes
• 2 x thick lollipop sticks
• Sello tape
• Stapler - You can use strong glue or double sided sticky tape

The children have had great fun playing with it in sessions.  Due to the balloon taking time to reach each child it gives them a really good chance of hitting it too!

Printable colour match game

An activity I found online to link into my sessions was this brilliant colour match game which saves lots of time making your own. 

I wanted something which could be used individually with a child or with a group of children in a variety of ways.

I will be using this game in the following ways:

• As a simple matching colour game to develop colour recognition skills and vocabulary
• As a colour hunt matching game to use around the home or setting
• As a game with a small group of children to learn about taking turns, matching skills and to develop social skills
• As a matching game using the cards to match items around the home or settingI found this printable colour match game on: www.homeschool creations.com

Simple home made snap game

This simple snap game was made as a simple quick activity that families could make together easily and cheaply but also that would provide hours of fun....

You will need:

• Cardboard
• Paint (unless coloured card is used)
• Glue
• scissors
• Glitter
• Sellotape or laminator to make the cards robust

The idea it to either use a simple snap game, as a simple matching game with sizes or to sequence in order of smallest to biggest or biggest to smallest.