Are you wondering what to do during playtime? What type of games will not only keep your Cubbies interest but also reinforce the Bear Hug point? Click this link to find a Jumper Game Suggestion document.

Maybe you have some ideas yourself or you don’t know how many or what type of games to play. Here are a few suggestions on how to make your playtime a total teaching time.

What is Play Time?

Non-Competitive – be sure that each child gets a turn or has his/her own item to use (i.e. separate balls for each child or group of two children)

Reinforces lesson aim – ex: God the Creator (Bear Hugs 1-6)

Fruit Match-Up – God made the food We eat

Hop Like A Froggy – God made animals

Over, Under, Through – Using stuffed animals

Head to Toe – God made me

Uses various activity levels & use of large and small muscles –

Fruit Match-Up – high energy (running)

Hop Like A Froggy – high energy

Over, Under, Through – low energy

Head to Toe – medium energy

AWANA Circle is not used at this age level.

Helps:

• use simple instructions
• demonstrate
• make sure every child gets a chance/item
• repeat – young children feel more comfortable when they know what to expect
• if it’s not working, STOP, and do something else

Choosing Games

Types – Matching games

Large muscle games

Thinking/group games

Team Games

Individual Games

Same Games- various themes

Shape Bingo – using different types of markers (pennies, cereal, candy hearts)

Seach game – small pool filled with sand, packing peanuts, leaves, eggs, balls

Cubbie in the Box – tape out different shapes, i.e. circle, triangle, diamond

Matching – fruit, letter, color, name

Resources:

www.awana.org – check out the Cubbie Idea Forum

Let’s Play:

Group Games for Preschoolers – by Group Publishing

Age-Right Play – by Susan L. Lingo

Bible Story Games for Preschooler – by Group Publishing