Benefits of Group Outdoor Games:

Engaging toddlers and preschoolers in group outdoor games at daycare centres offers several benefits. These games help build social bonds, encourage teamwork, enhance communication skills, and provide much-needed physical exercise. Additionally, these games require no equipment and can be played in a level open space, making them accessible and easy to organise.

Outdoor Games for Toddlers and Preschoolers:

Red Rover:

In this classic game, children form two teams by joining hands to create a chain. Each child has the opportunity to call a member from the opposite team to break through their chain. The chant, “Red Rover, Red Rover, let (child’s name) come over,” signals the challenge. If the child successfully breaks the chain, they can choose a captured player to join their team. The game continues until all children have had a chance to call someone over, and the team with the most players wins.

Red Light, Green Light:

This fast-paced and exciting game involves one child being designated as “it” and standing at one end of the playing area. The remaining children line up at the opposite end. “It” turns around and chants, “Red light, Green light, 1,2,3.” While “it” has their back turned, the other children rush towards them, attempting to tag “it” before they turn around. If “it” catches someone moving, that child is out. The game resets when “it” is tagged by another child, who then becomes the new “it.”

Duck, Duck, Goose:

A beloved classic, this game gets kids up and running. The children sit in a circle, and one child is chosen as “it.” “It” walks around the circle, gently tapping each child on the head, calling them a duck. At any moment, “it” taps one child on the head, calling them a goose. The goose then chases “it” in an attempt to tag them before they sit in the vacant spot. If the goose doesn’t tag “it,” they become the new “it,” and the game starts over.