World Rainforest Week: Day 1 Games in the Gym

October 12-18 is World Rainforest Week and a great opportunity to incorporate one of my favorite theme units into daily programming. In our facility we offer a daily physical activity segment that gives our kids a chance to get up and get moving while having fun. 

Monkey Tag

This game is played much like the classic backyard game of freeze tag, but the player who is “it” must act like a monkey. When a player is tagged, rather than freezing in place, she jumps around and acts like a monkey. Once a player is turned into a monkey, she should continue to imitate a monkey as she helps the original monkey tag the remaining players. Every time a player is tagged, another monkey is created. The final player who is not a monkey gets to start the next round.

Catch the Snake's Tail

Gather the players and have them line up, each player holding the waist of the player in front of them.

The line they form is a snake. The object of the game is for the snake to catch its own tail. The first player in line will lead the rest of the snake around the jungle as he tries to catch up to and touch the last player in line. The snake chain must not be broken or the snake will have to return to the starting line and start over.

Sleeping Lions

Forget freeze dance, the lazy lions are too tired for that kind of action. Instead, play some music and have your kids prowl around the dance floor, roaring like lions. When the music stops, instead of freezing, the kids will fall to the floor and lie still like sleeping lions. The last child to become a sleepy lion is out of the game. Start the music again and play for as many rounds as it takes until only one player remains.

Jungle Animal Charades

Like the classic game of charades, this activity requires players to act something out without using any words. Write the names of various jungle animals on note cards, fold them up and place them in a safari hat. Players will pull an animal name out of the hat and try and get the others to guess the name of the jungle animal using only gestures and motions.

Have you taken traditional games and given them a new spin so that they fit into a theme or celebration? Let me know!