Games to Play with Kids

So your aunt left you with your really young cousin while she zipped across to the supermarket to get some shopping done. And now you don't know what to do with the kid staring up at you, almost ready to cry? You know what would work? Games! Just get the kid to start playing and you'll need nothing more.

So how do you go about this game business? Simple. You need to know some good games to play with kids. And how do you get your hands on those games? Read the following article, take some tips, and watch the hours roll by with these fun things to do. So ready when you are.

Here are some indoor games that you can play with the kids. Just remember that any game will work out really great if you have the knack to draw the kid into the game.

This one is perfect for a rainy day. You know how it goes, I spy with my little eye something beginning with the letter 'C' and then the guessing begins. The faster either of you guess, that much more you score. Make dramatic mistakes and watch the kid get into splits of laughter.

Just bring out any puzzles, building blocks, or clay and start a marathon session of an afternoon full of fun. You can even have some card games ready to play.

Simple and highly entertaining. Praise the kid for his/her coloring skills when they display their work and you will have a fan for life.

This one might be a little messy but it's a real favorite among the kids. Get some bed sheets and arrange them up like tents. Just make sure that the furniture you drape them over has no sharp edges to it. Now decorate the tent with dolls or cars or whatever is a favorite of the kid and start playing.

Get your storyteller out and relate a story or two in some of the wackiest voices that you can conjure up. A great pajama party game to play, this one.

Other Indoor Games

• Hide and Seek
• Passing the ball
• Blindfold Catch
• Simple Magic Tricks

Have a backyard? Awesome! Nothing like it to get the kids playing some great outdoor activities for kids. Here are some of them.

A hot favorite anytime. Just tag and catch. You can bring variations to this great game by playing it one legged as well.

This one is a great group game for kids and is most fun when played in a huge group. A person is tagged and counts till the number 30 while everyone else hides. The place where he counts the number is his tag place.

Whenever he finds a teammate's hiding place, he must race the teammate to the tag place and tag him before the other. Only then is the victory counted. The game continues till the last one is caught.

A member is appointed leader and he starts off by saying 'Simon wants everyone to clap their hands' and everyone must follow. If he makes a request without using the phrase 'Simon says', it is not counted and if someone follows the action, they have to take up the tag for the next game.

Other Outdoor Games

• Hopscotch
• Frisbee/Ball or any other catch games
• Park activities
• Musical chairs
• Jacks

These games are a boon when it comes to choosing games to play with kids while babysitting. They will thoroughly enjoy having someone who's so much fun and they will love every minute of it. Just make sure that you check and re-check the areas that you play to ensure that they are absolutely safe. Other than that, just go out there and have some great time!