Games: Age 3-5

Paint the Counsellor
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers (20 minutes)
Requirements:
·         Paint Brushes, Paint, Soap, Water, and Bucket to wash hands in.
How to play:
1.       Gather materials and find a shaded area near the safety village (close to running water to wash hands in outdoors).
2.       Explain the rules to campers and create guidelines of where the campers are allowed to paint.
3.       Give each camper a paint brush, and allow them to paint the counsellor.
4.       Get each camper to wash their hands outdoors in buckets.
Rules:
1.       Campers are only allowed to paint the counsellor, not each other or any other object.
2.       Counsellors must give campers a guideline of where to paint; example drawing cut off points to ensure that it is not on their clothes.
3.       Campers must use one paintbrush for each colour.
Skills Built
·         Campers develop imagination and creative skills by taking art off of the paper.
Assets Built
·         Creative Activities: Child participates in artistic activities.
·         Positive Peer Influence: Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What can we do next:
·         Continue on to finger painting and more structured art.

Make your Own Playdough
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers (40 minutes)

Requirements:
·         Flour, Water, Salt, Vegetable Oil, Food Colouring, large bowl, large tarp, baggies, marker for writing names on bags, bucket of water for hand washing.
How to play:
1.       Gather materials and find a shaded area to set up.  
2.       Have campers sit around the edge of a large tarp. Explain the rules and talk about what you are doing as you are doing it.
3.       Counsellor begins mixing ingredients. Once partially mixed and not liquid, add the food colouring. When it becomes mixed enough to not make a mess, allow campers to help mix up the play dough one at a time.
4.       Once everyone has had a turn to help and it is completely mixed, divide the play dough up to each camper.
5.       Allow campers to play with the play dough and create their objects.
6.       When finished, clean up and place each camper’s play dough into a ziplock bag to put in their bag. Explain that play dough can only be kept in the refrigerator and up to one week following.
Rules:
1.       Campers must not eat the play dough.
2.       Only play with the play dough on the tarp.
Skills Built
·         Campers develop creativity and imagination by creating shapes.
Assets Built
·         Creative Activities: Campers use imagination to create shapes.
·         Learning Engagement: Campers learn how to make play dough and help in the process.
What can we do next:
·         Continue on to other imagination activities and develop creative working skills.

Cookie or Cupcake Decorating
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers (20 minutes)
Requirements:
·         Cookies or cupcakes, toppings, tarp or table cloth. *Allergies must be taken into consideration.
How to play:
1.       Gather materials and find a shaded area.
2.       Explain rules, and allow campers to decorate their cookies.
3.       Allow to dry and send home at the end of the day, or eat as a group.
Rules:
1.       Campers can only use _____ number of toppings.
2.       Campers only decorate and eat their own cookie.
Skills Built
·         Campers develop creativity and imagination by decorating cookies.
Assets Built
·         Creative Activities: Campers use imagination.
·         Learning Engagement: Campers learn how to make cookies and help in the finishing process.
What can we do next:
·         Continue on to other imagination activities and develop creative working skills.

Finger Painting
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers.
Requirements:
·         Paint, soap, art paper, bucket and water for washing hands.
How to play:
1.       Find an outdoor, shaded area to complete finger painting.
2.       Explain rules and allow campers to use only their fingers to create their drawing.
3.       Wash hands and clean up.
Rules:
1.       Campers can only use one colour at a time.
2.       Campers only touch the paper, not each other or the buildings.
Skills Built
·         Campers build on painting skills using different objects to create their masterpieces.
Assets Built
·         Creative Activities: Child participates in artistic activities.
·         Positive Peer Influence: Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What can we do next:
·         Continue to object painting work with designs; example potatoes, leaves, stick painting, etc.

Scavenger Hunt
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Treasure Map, Item to find.
How to play:
1.       Before hand, counsellor hides an item to find.
2.       Explain rules, and stay together as a group to follow the map/clue to find the item.
Rules:
1.       Stay together as a group.
Skills Built
·         Campers develop the ability to use hearing and sight as well as working as a team to complete a group task.
Assets Built
·         Planning and Decision Making: Campers work together to complete a task.
·         Positive Peer Influence: Campers create bonds and positive relationships from learning from each another.
What can we do next:
·         Continue to basic leadership activities.
*VARIATIONS: ABC Scavenger Hunts; List Scavenger Hunts, Matching Scavenger Hunt, Clue Scavenger Hunts, Puzzle Scavenger Hunts.

*NOTE: All choice activities must have a purpose towards them. Example: Paint the Counsellor can be done before a nature hike, trying to camouflage into the trees. Be creative to find meaning for doing the activity.

Side Walk Chalk
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·         Sidewalk chalk
**Make sure you limit the number of pieces given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
How to play:
1.       Allow campers to use their imagination and draw using the sidewalk chalk behind the safety village.

Bubbles
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·         Bubbles and bubble sticks
**Make sure you limit the amount of bubbles given to campers. Only bring out enough for everyone.
How to play:
1.       Allow campers to play with bubbles, create a chasing game of it (see if they can catch them!).

Explore the Safety Village
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·         Campers
How to play:
1.       Explore the safety village and look at all the different buildings. Make it a learning component.
*Variation: Puddle jumping, Wave Tag, Finger foods. Make sure to explain boundaries and safety components.

Hoola-hoop Pass
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds
Requirements:
·         One hoola-hoop
How to play:
1.       Make a circle with campers and join hands. Place a hoola-hoop between two campers linked between their arms.
2.       Campers must figure out how to get the hoola-hoop around the circle while keeping arms linked, and stepping over/lifting arms.
3.       Once they figure it out, time it! Do a couple times seeing if they can work together and beat their own time!
Rules:
1.       Campers must not unlink their hands.

Finger Painting
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers.
Requirements:
·         Paint, soap, art paper, bucket and water for washing hands.
How to play:
1.       Find an outdoor, shaded area to complete finger painting.
2.       Explain rules and allow campers to use only their fingers to create their drawing.
3.       Wash hands and clean up.
Rules:
1.       Campers can only use one colour at a time.
2.       Campers only touch the paper, not each other or the buildings.
Skills Built
·         Campers build on painting skills using different objects to create their masterpieces.
Assets Built
·         Creative Activities: Child participates in artistic activities.
·         Positive Peer Influence: Child’s camp friends model positive, responsible behaviour and work together.
What can we do next:
·         Continue to object painting work with designs; example potatoes, leaves, stick painting, etc.

Full body Tracings
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers.
Requirements:
·         Large paper (to fit entire body laying down) for each person, crayons or paint.
How to play:
1.       Get each camper to lay down on the large paper and trace their body. Then allow them to colour or paint in their self portrait.

Beach-ball Soccer
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play, large beach ball or scamper ball
How to play:
1.       Play soccer with a large beach ball or scamper ball
Rules:
1.       Campers only kick the ball.
2.       Must stay within the set boundaries.

Crab Soccer
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play, soccer ball
How to play:
1.       Play soccer on all fours walking like a crab!
Rules:
1.       Campers only kick the ball. And be aware of surrounding people.
2.       Must stay within the set boundaries.

Lifeguard
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Parachute
How to play:
1.       You pick one person to be a shark and one person to be the lifeguard. All of the children sit down with the parachute covering their legs.
2.       The person who is the shark lurks under the parachute while the rest of the group creates waves by shaking the parachute. The shark is to grab the legs of someone and try to pull them under the parachute.
3.       The person who is being pulled under yells LIFEGUARD LIFEGUARD. The lifeguard has to run to the rescue of the person and pull them from under the parachute before the shark pulls them under.
4.       If the shark gets them first they become a shark as well.
Rules:
1.       NO shoes on the parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.

All Change
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Parachute
How to play:
1.       Teacher calls out birthday months, numbers and colours. Campers swap places under the chute before it falls to earth. Make sure that those who remain around the edge allow the parachute to fall rather than pull it down.
Rules:
NO shoes on the parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.

Cat and Mouse
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Parachute
How to play:
1.       Everyone holds the cute stretched out at about waist height. Someone becomes a mouse and goes underneath.
2.       Another camper becomes a cat and goes on top. The rest of the groups try to hide the mouse by moving the chute up and down.
Rules:
NO shoes on the parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.

Popcorn
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Parachute, balls
How to play:
1.       Pop the popcorn, see how high it can bounce. Divide teams to get the popcorn in the holes; one team trying to get it in, the other try to keep it out!
Rules:
NO shoes on the parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.

Mushroom
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Parachute
How to play:
1.       On the count of three, children raise their arms, lifting the parachute over their heads, pulling the chute behid them sitting down with their bottoms on the edge of the chute. You can tell stories in the mushroom.
Rules:
NO shoes on the parachute. EVER. We want to keep the parachute lasting as long as it can for future years.

Grounder
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Playground
How to play:
1.       Counsellor is it to keep activity safe. All campers on the playground. Counsellor’s eyes are “closed” and trying to listen, walking around to catch campers who walk on the stones off the playground. If called “GROUNDER” or touched, that camper receives a point (to keep from eliminating). Least points wins!
Rules:
1.       Boundaries are the playground.
2.       No running on the playground, or around the playground.
3.       Only one person on the slide at the time.
4.       No Scampers or Rovers on the monkey bars.
5.       Strap on sandals or closed toe shoes should be worn on the playground. Be aware of flip flops.

Picture Frames
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Construction paper picture frames (2X2 inches)
How to play:
1.       Give each campers one picture frame and have them stand at a designated spots around the same object. For example they could all be standing around a large maple tree looking up at the branches. Quickly go around the group and have each camper describe what they see. Some campers may notice the swaying leaves, while others may see a bird or other life. During the hike you may periodically stop to perform this active or any other.
Rules:
1.       Stay within the boundaries.

Mini Village
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         About a foot of string for each camper.
How to play:
1.       Give each camper about a foot of string and tell them to find a spot that they can lay the string in a circle. Tell them that inside their circle is their mini village. Give them several minutes to get to know their village. Give the village a name, talk about who lives there or who has been there before, which way the wind blows, etc. Then have each child introduce their village to the rest of the children or to you individually.
Rules:
1.       Stay within the boundaries.

Secret Spots
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Paper and crayons for each camper.
How to play:
1.       In one general area, let the campers disperse and find their own secret spot away from the rest of the group. Give them a piece of paper and some crayons. Let them explore their immediate surrounds. This spot is not for sharing but for quiet time and reflection. They can draw or write about what they see and how they feel in their secret spot. Depending on the group, this activity may be well received and campers may wish to revisit their secret spot later in the week. Share drawings after.
Rules:
1.       Stay within the boundaries.

Super Sniffer
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Spray bottle with water and dye (optional) *do not drink!
How to play:
1.       This activity requires a group and a counsellor with a vivid imagination! Using a spray bottle with water and food colouring (optional), explain to the camper that the bottle contains a “magic super sniffer” solution. This solution when sprayed intensifies the small greatly (be creative and elaborate)! Have the children smell pieces of nature and react to you what they small through vivid explanations and immediate reactions. The super sniffer is great with younger children.
Rules:
1.       Stay within the boundaries.

Basketball
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Basketballs, hoola hoops to shoot through.
How to play:
1.       Teach basic dribbling skills and shooting through a hoola hoop outdoors.

Soccer
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Soccer ball, markers for nets.
How to play:
1.       Teach basic dribbling skills and shooting through a designated net.

Volleyball
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Beachballs.
How to play:
1.       Teach basic volleying skills and play a “keep it up” game. May work best with beach balls!

Sand Castles
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Sand toy bucket
How to play:
1.       Give campers sand toys and allow them to build sand castles, tunnels.
Rules:
1.       Each camper can have only two toys at a time to avoid sharing complications.

Talking about bugs
Age and Number of campers: Scampers, Rovers, all campers
Requirements:
·         Paper
·         Drawing materials (markers, crayons, or paint)
What to do:
1.       Talk with campers about different types of bugs. What kind of bugs do they know about that live around London?
a.       Here are some examples: spiders, beetles, butterflies, caterpillars, worms, ants, dragon flies, mayflies, grasshoppers/crickets, moths, flies, bees, wasps, mosquitoes, lady bugs, cicadas.
2.       Ask them what do bugs do?
a.       Bugs can pollinate flowers, fruit, and vegetables, help recycle dead plants and bring nutrients back into the environment.
3.       Ask them if there are any bugs that scare you? Why are they scary?
4.       Look at the bug pictures (attached). What are the different names of the bugs?:
a.       Page 1: Grasshopper, Dragonfly, Monarch Butterfly, Moth, Monarch Caterpillar. Page 2: House fly, Ladybug, Honey Bee, Bumble Bee, Wasp, Ant.
Talk about how butterflies are different than moths:
b.      Moths are normally nocturnal (sleep during the day and are awake at night) and are usually camouflage colours to hide during the day. Butterflies are awake during the day and are usually bright colours. Moth’s bodies are normally fat and fuzzy, while butterflies are normally slender and smoother.
Talk about how honey bees, bumble bees, and wasps are different:
c.       Bumble bees are fuzzy and will only sting if you threaten them or their nest. Honey bees take nectar from plants and trees and make honey in their nests. They have little hairs on their legs that pick up the nectar. They have stingers. All bees have queens who live in the nests. Wasps do not have any hairs on their bodies and do not have queens. They have stingers and feed on nectar.
5.       Draw some bugs, your favourites or some that you see at your house. You can use the pictures as a reference.
What can we do next:
·         Go on a nature walk to see how many bugs you can find at FCA

Bug Hunt
Age and Number of campers: Scampers, Rovers, all campers
Requirements:
·         Can use nets and jars to catch bugs, or
·         Use no materials and just look at bugs
What to do:
1.       Walk to a wooded area with the group. Take your time and see if you can hear any bugs (cicada, grasshoppers), or see any.
2.       When you get to the wooded area, search for different types of bugs. You can capture them if you have the materials, to look at them up close. Release the bugs after looking at them for a few minutes.
3.       Look for spiders in their webs, ants on the ground or on trees, butterflies and moths flying around, turn over rocks or logs and see worms and potato bugs.
What can we do next:
·         Review what you talked about earlier and see if they learned anything new

Octopus
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play, markers of two distinct ending zones.
How to play:
1.       Get a group into a straight line beside one another. Pick one camper to be the octopus, and have them face the rest of the group that is lined up.
2.       The octopus yells “OCTOPUS” and the rest of the group has to run to the other side without being touched.
3.        If the octopus does get you, then you become seaweed. This means you have to sit down and try to get people as they run by you.
*Note, if the game is going too long, then you can yell, “SEAWEED ALIVE”, which means that all of the people who are seaweed can get up with the octopus to try to catch campers.
Rules:
1.       Campers must be honest if they get caught to sit down, another game can be played.
2.       Set boundaries where campers must stay in.

Freeze Tag
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play.
How to play:
1.       Pick one person to be it and they have to tag the other people. If you become tagged, then you become frozen. This means you have to stand still with your arms up at your sides (like a T).
2.       To become unfrozen, another person has to run under your arms.
3.       Once a person is frozen three times, they become the new “IT”.
Rules:
1.       Campers must be honest if they get caught.
2.       Set boundaries where campers must stay in.
*Variations: Toilet Tag, Knee Tag

Scamper Ball Soccer
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play, large scamper ball.
How to play:
1.       Play soccer with the large scamper ball.
Rules:
1.       Campers only kick the ball.
2.       Must stay within the set boundaries.

Red Light, Green Light
Age and Number of campers: 3-5 year olds, any number of campers
Requirements:
·         Large area to play. *Works great as a transition game.
How to play:
1.       Have the campers line up. Pick one camper to be it, or counsellor can be it.
2.       The camper will stand in the middle of the area and call out directions.
                Red Light: Stop
                Green Light: Go (run)
                Yellow Light: Slow (walk)
Rules:
1.       Campers must follow the traffic laws.
2.       Stay within boundaries.
**Note: Variation- VCR *Another great transition game.
                Play: Run
                Stop: Freeze
                Rewind: Backwards
                Eject: Jump up and down!

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