DadTalk

Dad games

What games/fun times do you have with your kids? These don't have to cost a fortune (in most families it is better that they don't!) - here are a few ideas, perhaps you can add your own?

What games/fun times do you have with your kids? These don’t have to cost a fortune (in most families it is better that they don’t!) - here are a few ideas, perhaps you can add your own?

 Rock  Paper scissors...gun!

Bang! Is a variation on Rock paper scissors that has an element of subtlety and tension that's absent from the original game: it can also be played by more than 2 players

2-5 players sit in a circle. Tapping their hands on their knees, they all count 1-2-3 then raise their hand in one of 3 gun positions aiming at one of the other players.

Both hands pointing forward means shoot
Arms crossed across the chest means shield
Raised to the shoulders means reload

If you shoot someone who is reloading or shooting someone else you win a point
If you shoot someone who's shielding there's no score
If you shoot someone who's shooting you, both players scores are reduced to zero

You must reload each time before you can shoot but if you reload twice you will get two consecutive shots.
The game gets quicker as players get accustomed to it and is won by the first player to get 5 points.

If you are sitting around a table Bang! Can be played by rapping knuckles on the table during the count.

Freaky creatures

Sit around a table - you will need between 3-4 adults/children.

• Take a blank sheet of paper for each person & supply everyone with coloured pencils/pens.
• Fold the paper into 4 sections - each section represents part of the body of your ‘freaky creature’: top section is the ‘head’, followed by the top-half of the body, bottom-half of the body & finally the legs/feet.
• Each person first draws a ‘head’ onto the top of the page (try to do this without anyone else seeing what you have drawn). Ensure that the ‘neck’ goes just into the start of the next section. Then, fold over the ‘head’ so the next person can’t see what you have drawn & pass onto the next person.
• Next, everyone draws the top half of the body, fold over & passes on - all the way down to the feet.
• Finally, open up your sheets & name your ‘freaky creatures’.

There are no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ pictures here - praise each of your children for their wacky imagination and fantastic drawing skills!

Throw  a sock

Find a few odd socks (Mum is sure to have a collection somewhere), put a handful of rice (try the kitchen cupboard) in the bottom of the sock & tie up (note - socks with holes won’t work!).

Now, set up the game:

Small garden - use a plastic hoop, old bucket, or draw a circle on the pavement. Stand back from the target & all try to get the sock in the hoop/bucket/circle.

Big garden - as above or see how far you can throw the sock (a bit like shot-put).

Holiday at home

Can’t afford to take the family away for a holiday or short-break? Join the club. One solution, which has worked well for our family, is to have a ‘holiday at home’. At the beginning of the ‘holiday’ we have a family meeting to discuss ‘rules’ for the break e.g.

• Set a budget for the week to include food/drink/activities.
• Make a list of all the different types of activities you want to do - days out, bike rides, games nights, DVD/movies, fishing, sports, local attractions (check out your local visitors information centre, you may be surprised at what you can find locally).
• Buy in cheap/easy meals, or if your budget allows, have some meals out.
• Put up a tent in the garden & sleep out (or perhaps let the kids sleep out while you enjoy some quiet time in the house!)
• If you can afford to, get a cleaner in at the beginning & end of the week so there is no housework to do! If at all possible there should also be a ‘no-laundry’ rule - it wouldn’t be a holiday without a mound of laundry to do at the end of the week would it?

If you have any ideas on games for kids, particularly ones that have worked for you, why not publish them on the forum.