Getting children to use their imaginations and be creative should not be something difficult. Below you will find some fun ideas for your kids. These games and crafts will help them have fun and exercise their imaginations at the same time. Many of these could also be turned into party games for birthday parties or sleepovers.
Create a Creature Game
This can be done with as few as 4 people or as many as you want. Everyone starts with a blank sheet of paper and a pen, pencil, marker or crayon. Each person draws a head on their own sheet. There are no rules. You can draw the head of a person, animal, even an alien. The limit is the imagination of the one holding the writing instrument. After the head has been drawn, fold the paper over so only the bottom of the neck is visible. Now, everyone needs to pass their paper to the right. The next thing you draw is the chest and top of the arms. Then fold and pass to the right again. Now you can add hands and a waist fold and pass, now the legs, fold and pass and lastly the feet. Once the entire body has been drawn you can unfold the paper and see what interesting creatures have been created. This is a lot of fun in a mid-sized group of school age kids. It’s also an excellent ice-breaker activity because it encourages interaction between everyone but not in an embarrassing way like some of the icebreaker type games can.
The Surviving Balloon
This is a game that can be played either indoors or outside. If you are playing indoors simply blow up the balloons. Make sure you have plenty of space for people to toss their balloons around. Before beginning the game have each player write their name on their balloon. Now toss the balloons at one another. The goal being to grab and attempt to pop each other person’s balloons but at the same time protecting your own. If you decide to play outside you can fill the balloons with water to make things more interesting. Be sure to forewarn anyone playing that their clothing may get wet. The person whose balloon is still inflated/filled at the end of the game is the winner.
Create-A-Book
To create your own book you’ll need paper, a variety of magazines, some glue, pens or markers and scissors. Start by having each child think of the type of story they want to create. Then go through the magazines and help them cut out different pictures that go along with their story line. Use the glue to attach the pictures to the paper and then write the part of the story that goes with the picture underneath with pen or marker. You can make these “books” as long or short as you want and after the pages have dried completely, you can use a three-hole puncher and some brass brads to make them into books that can be shared among other kids. This is a great activity to also help promote reading and how much fun it can be.
Stranded off an Island
This is a fun alternative to musical chairs. You can use either construction paper or, if you want something more sturdy and fun, purchase some carpet remnants from a carpet dealer to make “islands” of different colors. Place these islands on the floor in an open area and be sure you have one less island than the number of people playing the game. Turn on some music and have the islanders roam around in and around the islands. When the music stops everyone must claim an island for their own. Whoever is left without an island is stranded and must sit to the side. Remove one island and play again. Continue this way until only one island remains. The person who lands first when the music stops is the winner.
Splatter Art
This is a messy game and should definitely be played outside and in old clothing that it does not matter if it gets messed up. This works best with a smaller group of children 8 – 11 years old. Set up picnic tables back to back, or for smaller children, folding tables with the legs collapsed so they lay on the ground works better, and purchase big rolls of paper that you can roll over the top of them, totally covering the tables. Get several different colors of paint, I find that 5-8 colors usually works best and paintbrushes in different sizes. Now have the children stand over the tables and splatter paint with the paintbrushes all over the papers. Give them a specific time limit, usually like 30 – 60 seconds works best so that the paper is not dripping with paint and there is still some design to it. After the paint dries you can cut the large paper into fairly equal pieces of art and help each child frame it so they have something they can take home and hang on the wall as a memory. Before framing be sure to have each child sign and date the picture.
I hope these games have given you a place to start to have fun with your children. The door to creativity never closes and it’s always a great idea to encourage children to be imaginative.
