Going on a car trip? Need a fun and hilarious travel game for the kids? Or maybe you just need an easy and fun game to play as you zip around town doing your errands. Either way, I’ve got a great game for your kids to play. And it’s so much fun you won’t want to be left out!
Crazy Stuff Scavenger Hunt
Last November my husband, brother, his girlfriend, and I created this game while enjoying the interesting city of San Francisco. Basically what you do is keep your eyes peeled for interesting or unique things you might not see every day. For example, in the photo above the person who spotted the turkey with the pumpkin head dressed in the Santa suit got points. This kind of costume is not something you see every day and is most definitely worth pointing out.
If you are thinking when on earth are you going to see something like that, fear not. You can point out simpler things like a man walking three dogs at once or someone wearing an interesting headband or a kid doing a little jig in the cookie aisle. Little things that might make you smile.
Rules of the game
Keep your eyes peeled. When you see something interesting you call it out. For example: man wearing a turkey costume with a pumpkin head wearing a Santa suit? Check! And then you act like you are checking it off your invisible scavenger hunt list.
We didn’t make a list because we never knew what we might find. The best part was how it tuned us into our surroundings and gave us something fun to focus on. We were big kids playing in the city.
We didn’t keep points as it was the spirit of the game that was the most fun for us. And when separated we’d go as far as text our findings to each other. You can declare a winner in the end for the most items found or fir the best and most memorable.
Going on spring break or a trip to the store? Play this crazy scavenger hunt game! What’s the craziest thing you’ve ever seen?
Leave it to kids. They want to have a thumb war, but there are three who want to play this two player game. Nobody wants to be left out. What to do?
An adult would say: Tough luck.
OR:Someone will be left out.
OR: You can’t.
OR: Play something else.
A kid would say: Let’s try it and see what happens.
It’s this spirit and willingness to experiment and try things that may seem impossible that leads to creative solutions in our world as well as interesting and effective products (like computers, smart phones, radios, roads, planes, etc.) and in the Oram-Graham world… a three-way thumb war.
How to Play Thumb War… OR …How to Have a Thumb War
Here are the basics of a thumb war if you have never heard or seen one before.
Two people grip their right hands together almost like they are going to shake hands. Instead, they curl their fingers in, hooking their fingers to each other with their thumbs sticking up. Players have to keep holding onto each other’s hand. If they let go, they forfeit the game. (I.e. lose.)
Once ready, the players say: One, two, three four, I declare a thumb war!
If they want, they can have their thumbs ‘shake hands’ and get in their ‘corners’ before they start playing. Andddd… go!
The first to pin the other person’s thumb down with their thumb for 10 seconds wins. If the other person slips their thumb out before 10 seconds is up (you count out loud) the game continues on.
How to Play Thumb War with Three Players
Having a thumb war with three people is pretty much the same. Only there is this kooky chaos element to it. The third person slips their hand into the hands of the others just like with two players (only the hand holding is fatter now) and there are three thumbs in the ring! Look out! There are two thumbs out to try and pin you!
Players can work together to pin others or not!
* This is a great game for deciding who goes first (or who will be it) in a game.
What’s your favourite ‘who goes first‘ game?
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How to play a thumb war with… THREE players! http://t.co/sibQFaH0
— Jean Oram (@KidsPlay) September 18, 2012
Make Your Own Ring Toss Craft and Activity for Kids
Do your kids have Olympic fever? Or maybe they’re just looking for a fun game to play around the house (hello, rainy day activity!), or one to play at a birthday party… either way, I’ve got you covered.
This ring toss game is an easy craft using recycled materials you can find around the house.
What you need to make a ring toss game for kids:
- Tall yogurt container
- Paper towel cardboard roll (A more firm cardboard roll like those found with aluminum foil or clear plastic wrap works well–you can also roll a section of newspaper into a tight roll.)
- Two or more lids from round yogurt containers (These will be your rings. So the more rings you want, the more lids you will need.)
- A sharp utility knife and an adult’s assistance
- Construction paper (optional)
- Markers, paint, or stickers (optional–However you want to decorate your ring toss game–or skip this step all together if you want to get playing!)
How to make your own ring toss game and craft for kids:
Have an adult trim the top two inches off the yogurt container. (The “top” being the opening end of the container–it will become the “bottom” of the ring toss stand.) This will be the ring toss base and will need to be stable. Trimming the bottom off the container will help with that. Make sure you make it even so it sits well.
Also have an adult cut an ‘x’ shape into the bottom of the yogurt container.
Decorate the cardboard roll (or rolled up newspaper) to make it gorgeous. Some ideas include, painting it, colouring it with markers, sticking it with stickers, or covering it with construction paper, wrapping paper, or whatever else you have that looks interesting.
Slide the paper towel roll into the slits made in the bottom of the yogurt container. It should stay nicely on its own.
Have an adult carefully cut out the inside sections of the yogurt lids so they become a (closed) ring instead of a solid disk. (Cut out the middle of the lids.) These lids will be your rings.
It looks like you’re done!
Time to find some space and play ring toss!
Place the stand a few feet away and try to toss your rings onto the cardboard roll sticking up. Can you get it? If it is too easy, keeping backing up until it gets harder. Too hard? Move closer.
Can you toss the ring with your left hand? Right hand? Both hands? From behind your back? Without looking? From between your legs? Make it a challenge. Gotten good? Invite your friends over to play! They can be one country and you can be another–competing in the Olympics! Wahoo! Have fun, and enjoy!
What games do your kids like to play at home? What country are they cheering for in the Olympics?
P.S. This craft was built at our public library with help from our lovely librarian, Mary. Thanks, Mary!
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Looking for an easy way to share:
Easy craft and party game: ring toss! A fun how to for kids. http://t.co/SMTlgsWM #crafts #kids #play
— Jean Oram (@KidsPlay) August 2, 2012
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Coins are stamped with the year they were made. Take a close look and see if you can find the year. Is it the year you were born? The older you are, the harder it is to find a coin from that year as coins are periodically recycled by the mint that makes them.
Make it a family activity: Have the whole family search for coins from the year they were born.
This activity promotes math skills.
This activity promotes physical activity and challenging one’s limits.
