Games for Indoor Recess? Any suggestions?

[Anonymous]

Our school needs more games for indoor recess, and is asking parents to donate.

What games do kids at your schools enjoy? Or, any other activities? Right now, my first grader tends to color, draw, play with LEGOs.

I'm willing to spend up to $100. Are Magnatiles outgrown by most ES kids? Something else that the kids would enjoy.

[Anonymous]

What's wrong with snow and rain?

[Anonymous]

They don't play Seven-Up anymore? That's what we did at indoor recess.

[Anonymous]

When I taught school, I put on music and let the kids dance and move around. The Chicken Dance, that kind of thing. Isn't the purpose of recess to move?

[Anonymous]

At our old public it was two classes herded into one classroom with one teacher on more days than I would like but they cancel outdoor recess pretty frequently. They didn't run organized games.

OP, Magnatiles would probably be great, but I'd ask the teachers. They know best what they need.

[Anonymous]

second seven up or duck duck goose. simon says.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Our school needs more games for indoor recess, and is asking parents to donate.

What games do kids at your schools enjoy? Or, any other activities? Right now, my first grader tends to color, draw, play with LEGOs.

I'm willing to spend up to $100. Are Magnatiles outgrown by most ES kids? Something else that the kids would enjoy.

Magnetiles are the biggest hit in PK, maybe K.

The K - 2nd grade boys at our school enjoy any manipulative you can make into a top and spin like a beyblade. Snap cubes (a math manipulative) is their favorite. But most well stocked ES classrooms will already have those.

[Anonymous]

My child's aftercare room had Boggle, Bananagrams, Connect Four, Chinese Checkers, and Yatzee for times when homework was finished but they wanted something mellow to do

[Anonymous]

For my first grade classroom I purchased the following games for indoor recess: connect four, jenga, twister and trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What's wrong with snow and rain?

OP here. I agree with you completely. At my younger DD's preschool, they do go out in rain and snow. I wish they'd take the ES kid out too, but they don't if it's raining or if the temp is below 32 degrees.

I can't change the rules, so I wanted to figure out what would be fun for recess.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:They don't play Seven-Up anymore? That's what we did at indoor recess.

I'm not from this country, but I'll Google Seven Up! Thanks

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:At our old public it was two classes herded into one classroom with one teacher on more days than I would like but they cancel outdoor recess pretty frequently. They didn't run organized games.

OP, Magnatiles would probably be great, but I'd ask the teachers. They know best what they need.

OP again-

We're at a public school and two classes get crammed into one classroom with an aide. No organized games, the kids entertain themselves.

Our PTA is collecting the games so I'll ask them, but thought I'd see what's a hit at other school.

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the other suggestions. We're not at an affluent school but I'll check to see what they do have before I get anything.

Keep the ideas coming!

DD always comments on how recess is a bit boring. I'd love to hear some more about what other schools do.

[Anonymous]

Sorry to keep posting, but I'll add that recess is only 20 minutes, so a game that can be played quickly is probably best.

[Anonymous]

Art supplies like construction paper, etc. For games, try checkers, Connect 4, Rush Hour. Those snap cubes and other manipulatives like dominoes are usually in the classroom already but they are huge hits at my school for indoor recess.