HEALTHY ACTIVITY IDEAS for CLASSROOM PARTIES Safety Precautions: Through consultation with Mrs. Lenton, our school nurse, it was decided that games or activities that include any type of food should be avoided due to the prevalence of food allergies. In addition, the homeroom parent or group leader should confirm that there are no students with latex allergies before playing any of the balloon games. Most of the ideas will work best for grades 3-5, but there are some that can be used with the younger children. I have designated with an * the ones that should be suitable for all grades. IDEAS *Coin Tossing: Use chalk to draw a line several feet from the wall. In groups of 3 or 4, students take turns standing behind the line and tossing a coin, poker chip or similar object towards the wall. The player whose coin is closest to the wall when all have been tossed is the winner. Coin Catching: Quarters probably work best for this. The first player balances one coin on her elbow, drops her hand quickly, and tries to catch the coin before it hits the ground. Each player attempts the same and those who cannot do it are eliminated. In the next round, a second coin is stacked on the first and so on… Up the Ladder: On a piece of paper, draw a ladder with 7 or more rungs. Write “Finish” above the top rung. Players take turns making 3 marks in the empty spaces between the rungs of the ladder. The first player’s mark is an X and the second player uses O. Each player can divide his marks any way he wants, putting all 3 in one space, putting one each in 3 different spaces, or some other combination. Neither player can put a mark in a space already occupied by other marks. Skipping rungs is not allowed. The first player to put a mark in the Finish space wins. The game can be played again with any number of rungs. *Telephone/Whisper Down the Lane: Use a theme-related phrase. Twenty Questions: Play with just 10 questions; have one student choose a theme-related word from a “hat” (prepared ahead of time). *Test Your Memory: Have students study a theme-related picture and then hide it. Ask questions about the picture to see who gets the most right. *Balloon Release: Identify a start and finish line. Students blow up a balloon and then, on a signal, release it. They go to where it landed, pick it up and release it again (when signaled to do so). The first to cross the finish line wins. Balloon Tag: Each student has a balloon tied to his/her ankle. Students try to pop each other’s balloons. *Balloon Soccer: Which team can guide its balloon to the container first. Team members must alternate balloon touches. *Balloon Frantic: Half the class sits in a circle and the other half surrounds them in a standing position. The object is to see what the class record is for number of balloons kept aloft for 30 seconds. No one may touch the same balloon two times in a row. *Balloon Challenge: Tap a balloon while putting on a coat, tying shoes, drinking water, etc. *Find the Leader: One student leaves the room. The others sit in a circle with a leader who is clapping, snapping fingers or performing some other motion that the others will follow. The student who was outside then returns to the middle of the circle and has 3 guesses to try to name the leader. The leader should periodically change the motion to give the guesser a chance to try to catch him/her in the act. *Who Is It?: The students walk in a circle around a blindfolded classmate, stopping when the classmate claps. The one in the blindfold points to a student (an adult may have to tap that student on the shoulder to clarify who has been chosen). The blindfolded person names an animal and the chosen student attempts to make that animal’s sound. The blindfolded person gets 3 guesses to name the person. If successful, he/she can choose who will be “It” next; if not the one who “fooled” the blindfolded person gets to be “It”. MINUTE TO WIN IT The television show, “Minute to Win It” has some great game ideas that could be utilized in a classroom party setting. The following website lists games, along with detailed descriptions, equipment needed and even tips for success. http://gameshows.about.com/od/minutetowinitgames These are some of the Minute to Win It games that might be appropriate for a classroom party (they can be used at stations or as contests with onlookers): • A Bit Dicey • Baby Rattle • Back Flip • Bouncer – Use weighted cups • Breakfast Scramble – This could be done with any holiday-themed picture glued to card stock* • Caddy Stack • Candelier – Use paper or plastic cups and strong paper plates • Christmas Ball* • Christmas Ball Conveyor • Christmas Jingle* • Defying Gravity • Double Trouble – Use a bigger, weighted cups as targets • Do You Hear What I Hear? • Drop, Sink & Clink – Modify by using one fishbowl/container with multiple targets • Get Forked (Official Name) – A better name for elementary school students might be “A Fork in the Road” • Getting Juggy With It • Hoop De Loop – Use juice bottles • Hut, Hut, Hike – Use 1 target, maybe stuffed animals or holiday pillows instead of toilet paper and let teammates work together with one executing skill and other sighting for him/her* • Johnny Applestack – Stack 3 apples instead of 5 (one exception to the “no food” rule)* • Loner • Marbles grande • Matchmaker – Replace candy with colored dice or jacks* • Movin’ On Up • Nutstacker – Use pencil • Play It By Ear – Use covered cups instead of soda cans • Separation Anxiety – Replace candy with colored dice or jacks* • Spare Me • Stick To It HOLIDAY Several of the Minute to Win It games have a holiday theme and, with some creativity, others can be converted. Another good resource is: http://volunteerspot.com/ebooks/ClassParty Following are some games/challenges specific to particular holidays. *HALLOWEEN: • Sweeping Witches Relay – like a hockey slalom with brooms and crumpled paper • Spoon Race – with skeleton arm and eyeball • Test Your Memory – Display a tray of Halloween-themed objects. Hide the tray and see who can remember and write down the most objects. This can be played individually or in teams (more fun). • Bingo with a holiday theme *THANKSGIVINg: • Pass the chicken (turkey) – the party planner prepares categories in advance (sports teams, presidents, states, fruits, etc.). One student holds the chicken as a category is drawn. The student begins passing the chicken around the circle and must name 5 of that category before it gets back to him/her. If the student fails, he/she must pick someone else to be “It”. If successful, whoever is holding the chicken at the time will be the new ”it”. *WINTER: • Toss the Snowball – a contest to toss cotton balls into a bucket • Rudolph’s Nose – students have petroleum jelly on their noses and try to transfer cotton balls from one paper plate to another. • Relay Race involving putting on winter gear. • Attempt fine motor challenges wearing adult mittens. • Blitzen, Bliitzen, Rudolph (like Duck, Duck, goose) • Gift exchange – each student brings in a book appropriate for a boy or girl. The homeroom parent reads a story aloud and the students pass their books to the right each time they hear the word “the” in the story. Each student keeps the gift they end up with when the story ends. • Hot Potato – wrap a package in many layers. Pass it as the music plays. When the music stops, one layer is removed. Continue until all paper is removed. In the package is something that can be shared by everyone (maybe a toy for recess or some fun pencils). • Four Songs – This can be used for grouping or making teams. Place the names of songs on cards or Popsicle sticks. The number is determined by how many groups you want. Students move around, humming the song on their card in an attempt to find the others humming their song. The activity can end with each group singing a verse of their song. *VALENTINE’S DAY: • Work in teams to create as many words as possible from the letters in “Valentine’s Day”. • Cupid Says – like Simon Says • Famous Pairs – Every student has a name taped to his/her back so they can’t see it (Romeo, Juliet, Jack, Jill, Cinderella, Prince Charming, etc.). Students approach others, allow them to see the name on their backs, and then proceed to ask yes or no questions to figure out the name. They then try to find their partner or match. The matches don’t necessarily have to be male/female (for example, pairs could include spaghetti and meatballs or peanut butter and jelly). A resource for creating word searches or crossword puzzles is www.puzzlemaker.com These can be designed with a holiday theme as a Plan B if the homeroom parent has run out of activities and needs to fill in some time. There are also Pinterest sites with topics such as “Homeroom Parent” and “Classroom Parties”. Some of the games/activities cited above require equipment that may be available in our school gym supplies. With some notice ahead of time (at least a day or two) I would be happy to loan equipment to parents for classroom parties. RESOURCES “Rain or Shine Activity Book” by Joanna Cole and Stephanie Calmenson. A Beachtree Paperback Book, New York, 1997 Minute to Win It games described at http://gameshows.about.com/od/minutetowinitgames Class Party games described at http://volunteerspot.com/ebooks/ClassParty .