Group games for kids are awesome for inspiring teamwork and creativity, all while promoting important developmental skills like balance, coordination, and motor control!
Check out Rabbit Hole – one of our most popular group games here at The Inspired Treehouse!
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Imagination is the key in this fun gross motor challenge! Children think it is hilarious to pack themselves into a tight place, especially when they’re trying to get away from a fox! Group games for kids are perfect for parties and play dates – especially when they require little to no planning!
We originally created Rabbit Hole as a fun, cooperative gross motor game. Jill, a mom blogger with a background in Early Childhood Education, saw the potential to use this activity as a therapy tool to teach kids about personal space!
Check out her post about teaching the concept of personal space at Confidence Meets Parenting. Get ready for some laughs…here’s Rabbit Hole!
What you’ll need:
-A hula hoop
-3-4 cones or other objects to prop your hula hoop off the ground (all the same height, 10-12” high)
What to do:
Balance a hula hoop on top of the cones so that it is elevated off of the ground. Tell the children that they are all rabbits and they have to get into their rabbit hole to hide before the fox finds them.
They must step over the hula hoop with each foot to arrive in the hole without knocking the hula hoop from the cones. One by one, each child enters the hole until as many as possible are inside! When everyone is in, ask them to slowly start exiting the hole, one by one, again being very cautious not to disturb the hula hoop.
How to change it up:
-Jump into and out of the rabbit hole
-Leap into the rabbit hole. Only one foot may land in the rabbit hole and then immediately leap out
-Make this into a game of tag. Designate one child as the fox and have them chase the other children into the hole. If a child knocks the hula hoop down, they join the fox. Continue the game until all of the rabbits have been caught!
-Crawl under the hula hoop into the rabbit hole. This is very challenging and an excellent test of body awareness and control!
-Add a twist to this game by trying our Gross Motor Color Match Game!
Skill Areas Addressed:
Balance, social skills, gross motor skills, coordination, motor control
Check out these other group movement games
Our favorite hula hoop games and activities
Group Facilitation Tips for Teachers & Therapists
12 Games for Fostering Cooperation and Teamwork
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Lovely and useful blog, ladies!!!
I have been trying to incorporate a lot of gross motor skills (and fine, too) into my work working with ADULTS too for all the many benefits coordinating movement, our physical environment, and “tangible tools” (with grown-ups I use a lot of sticky notes, but also lego play-doh and pipe cleaners when I can). So I think this is AWESOME!
I am thinking about trying to integrate some of these games into my soon-to-be-four-year-old daughter’s pirate themed BDay party next weekend. We will be playing outside if weather permits. Any tips on pirate games welcome!
Hi Sharon! Thank you so much for visiting our blog! We think it would be amazing to translate some of these activities into exercises for the adults you work with!! As for your daughter’s birthday party, here are some suggestions: Pool noodles used as “swords” to fight the flying fish (balloons)…can they tap them all into a bucket so that they party can go on?, Walk the Plank…use a 2″x4″ board, a group of different sized benches or chairs, or even a taped line and have them balance their way down the plank, The One Eyed Pirate Scavenger hunt…put a patch over one of each of the children’s eyes and have them search for items hidden around the yard (maybe some shells, a toy boat, a small bag of sand, etc), and finally, the One Legged Pirate Hop…See if the children can hop from one place to another to complete a relay race OR put on some pirate themed music and have them hop away to the beat!
I hope these suggestions help! If you’d like anything else, please let us know! After brainstorming those ideas, maybe a Pirate Themed group of activities will be up in the future!!!
Have a fantastic day!!
Lauren
Hi Sharon!!!:)
Thank you so much for supporting the blog! Josie is having a pirate party,eh? Love that girl! Lauren had some amazing ideas for you! You could also have the kids search for treasure by filling a container with sand and “burying” treasures of your choice. Maybe create a treasure map with one clue leading to another around the yard finally ending in finding a “treasure chest” filled with goodies for the kids to take home. Three legged race is always fun to simulate a “peg legged pirate”!! Hope all these help and have an amazing party! Subscribe to the blog to get emails about our activities!!
Pam
Hi I love this game, but what ages would you say this game is for?
I appreciate the fact that you have variations of this game included. Always looking for suggestions on keeping my kids more active!
thank you for this. I am going to try this as part of my teamwork lesson plans as a guidance counselor and will also link this to my website on teamwork. I love your ideas to include balancing and coordination!! http://www.powerfulyou.info
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