12/7/2020 7 Indoor Games for Large Groups in Small Areas - Kid Activities

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7 Indoor Games for Large Groups in Small Areas

June 21, 2019 by Tony

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Indoor Games for Large Groups in Small Areas

Keeping a large group of kids entertained in a small space can be a challenging
prospect, as any parent or educator knows. However, if you organize a game to
pass the time, you’re providing them with mental and physical stimulation—with
the added bonus of being able to keep an eye on everyone.

If you’ve always hewed to the belief that indoor games should only be considered
in large spaces like the gymnasium, perhaps it’s time to rethink your strategy. To

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help you get started, here’s a list of seven indoor games for large groups in small
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areas.

1.Toss ‘n Clap

This high-energy game is sort of like an upside-down version of the game jacks, in
which players attempt to pick up as many jacks as they can before a bounced ball
can return to the playing surface. Unlike jacks, though, Toss ‘n Clap allows the kids
to get physical, which makes it a great tool for improving coordination as well as
teamwork.

To play, you’ll need a volleyball or a similar soft, large ball. Gather players in a circle
and hand the ball to one of them to start. This rst player should throw the ball in
the air and attempt to clap once before catching it. He or she will then pass to the
next player, who will attempt the same, and so on. Should any of the players fail to
catch the ball, every player should immediately do ve jumping jacks. The player
who dropped the ball will then drop out of the game, thereby shrinking the circle.

Once every player has had a chance to try to catch the ball after a single clap, the
ball returns to the rst player, who then attempts to catch it after two claps. Play
continues in this manner, raising the number of claps in succession. The player
who manages to clap the most times by the end of the game is the winner!

2. All My Neighbors
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All My Neighbors is similar in structure to musical chairs, only it encourages more

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creativity on the part of the players. . The game requires little advance preparation,
and is sure to be enjoyed by kids of all ages. All you need is a circle of chairs, and a
group of players (the more the merrier!).

Count out how many players you have, and use this number less one to form your
chair circle. (For example, if you have nine players, make a circle of eight chairs.)
Choose one player to act as the “caller,” and have him or her stand in the center of
the circle while the rest of the group is seated.

To begin play, the caller should yell out a single characteristic that he or she shares
with at least one other person in the circle, beginning with the words “all my
neighbors.” For example, if the caller is wearing blue jeans, he or she can call out
“All my neighbors wearing blue jeans.” At this point, everyone in blue jeans
(including the caller) will scramble to nd a new seat somewhere in the circle. The
player left standing then becomes the new caller, and so on.

3. Hula Hoop Hop

For this game, you’ll need several hula hoops, as well as enough space for each
one to be placed on the oor at some distance from one another. A school hallway
is the best venue for Hula Hoop Hop, but it can be enjoyed in the classroom if need
be.

Once you’ve scattered the hula hoops across the oor (none of them should be
allowed to touch one another), choose an exercise or other form of movement that
the players will need to follow (such as hopping on one foot). When you call out the
word “go,” players should begin to traverse the playing space using the chosen
movement, taking care not to touch any of the hula hoops as they pass.

Next, call out a number between two and four (the number may vary depending
on the size of your group). The players will then stop and try to climb inside the
nearest hoop, lling it with the same amount of players as the number called.
When the hoop is full of the correct number of players, the ones inside should
raise the hoop to waist level to indicate that this one is o -limits.

4. Add ‘Em

If you’d like to incorporate a little min-lesson into your small area games session,
try this easy exercise out on the group. It’s fast-paced—almost like rock-paper-
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scissors—but the kids will be honing their math skills at the same time.
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Divide the players into groups of two, with one standing and one sitting down. If
you’re in a classroom, they can perform the exercise at their desks; otherwise, one
can sit on the oor with the other standing above. Have them determine which
player is going to be “odd,” and which one will be “even.”

When you call out “add ’em,” the players will put up any number of ngers from
one hand (to keep the numbers between one and ve). Each team should then add
up the total number of ngers that they’ve displayed to determine whether they’ve
come up with an even or an odd number. If it’s even, the player who was
designated “even” wins, and vice versa. At this point, the winners go on to seek
new partners from the ones who have remained seated.

If your group is made up of older children who would nd this exercise too easy,
switch it up by changing the name to “Multiply.” Follow the same rules as above,
but have them multiply the numbers shown on their ngers rather than adding
them.

5. Silent Beanbag Toss

This is a great activity for indoor recess. Families might also want to try it out on
rainy days. It provides a great workout with a minimum of noise—a win-win for the
adults in the vicinity!

To play, you’ll need about a half-dozen beanbags. You can also substitute smaller
Nerf balls for this—anything that can be easily tossed across a circle without
causing harm to the players would work. The balls don’t even have to match one
another; in fact, having a number of di erent objects in play can add to the fun.

Form players into a circle and instruct them to remain silent during play. If they
talk, they’ll be immediately disquali ed from the game. Hand one of the beanbags
to a player and have them toss it across the circle to another player. If he or she
catches it, they’ll continue the game by tossing it to someone else, and so on. Any
player who fails to catch the beanbag will have to leave the circle, along with
anyone who talks during play.

As the game progresses, make it more of a challenge by gradually introducing

more beanbags. The winner is the player who remains in the “circle” when all of

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the others have been forced to drop out.

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6. Hula Hoop Tic-Tac-Toe

As small area games go, this one requires a bit more room to maneuver. You’ll also
need nine hula hoops, six beanbags (two sets of three in di erent colors), two
batons (wooden spoons can stand in for these), and two line markers (plastic
cones work well, but you can substitute any stationary object).

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To begin, divide players into two equal teams. If you have an equal number of boys
and girls, you can divide them up this way. Otherwise, simply count o . Set up the
hula hoops so that there are three down and three across (like a tic-tac-toe board).
Have the players line up with their respective teams behind their line markers,
about 20 feet away from the makeshift board. Put three beanbags of like color in
front of each line, along with one baton.

The player in the starting position of each line should then pick up their baton and
a beanbag, then make their way to the hula hoop board as fast as they can to place
their beanbag in whichever hoop they choose. They’ll then return to the line and
hand the baton to the next player, who will repeat the move in an attempt to get
their three beanbags all in a row before the next team does. Once all the beanbags
have been placed, they can be moved around by the subsequent team members
until there’s a winner.

To make it more exciting, you can have the players skip or hop to the board
instead of simply running. Alternatively, they can attempt to toss the beanbags
onto the board from a distance.

7. All Aboard!

This cooperative game can be enjoyed by players of any age, but it’s so simple that
older children are bound to become bored more quickly.

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First, you’ll need a number of small playing surfaces—towels, mats or hula hoops
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all work well. Divide the group into smaller teams (size depends on how large your
playing surfaces are, as well as how many players you have). Each team should
then attempt to get every one of its members to t inside the designated playing
surface for at least 10 seconds. If this is too easy on the rst attempt, you can up
the ante by either making the playing surface smaller, or increasing the number of
players on each team.

With a little imagination, you could likely come up with your own variations on
these indoor games for large groups in small areas. If you have enough ideas in
your arsenal, your group will never run out of things to do when the weather
forces you all to remain inside. Have fun!

Looking for more game ideas? Learn to play protect the president and the game
tra c jam.

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