Splashing about is great but sometimes you just want to to chill out, so here's a few more relaxing ideas to keep the kids entertained.
I Spy (With My Little Eye)
While tradition dictates that “I Spy” is played on long car journeys, it’s actually better to play when you’re going to be in one physical place for the duration of the game. You wouldn’t want to lose sight of the object that you spy, right?
Other variations include:
I spy with my little eye something that is blue. (color)
I spy with my little eye something that rhymes with floor. (rhyming words)
I spy with my little eye something that is fast. (other characteristic)
Charades
Prefer spoken word games that are a little more active? Charades may be more your jam. One person thinks up a film, book, play etc and must act out the word, phrase or title without making a single sound. The other player or players then try to guess the word, phrase or title.Random Word Game
The first player chooses a word and defines the category. For example, they might say, “The category is wild animals. The first word is tiger.” The second player must then come up with a wild animal that starts with the last letter of “tiger,” like R for “raccoon.” The third player must then name a wild animal that starts with the last letter of “raccoon,” like N for “newt.” and so on.The Alphabet GameThis involves naming items, places or peoples names in the category in alphabetical order. For example, if the category is countries: Just hope that you don’t get stuck with harder letters like Q and X!
Talk to the animal
Nominate a player to be an animal character for the first round.The other players have to ask questions until they guess what the animal is.The first one to correctly guess the animal gets to go next.
I went to the shop and bought…
Each player has to choose something they had bought at the shops. The first player starts by only reciting what she or he has bought.The next player then has to recite what the previous player bought, as well as add something new to the list.The player who forgets an item is out of the game, whilst the rest battles on, till there is eventually only one shopper left!
Two facts and a fib
Each player gets a chance to make three statements – two which are true and one that is false.The other players have to try and guess which statement is the lie – number one, two three, by indicating the number with their fingers.Chinese whispers
Players form a line or circle, and the first player comes up with a message and whispers it to the ear of the second person in the line. The second player repeats the message to the third player, and so on. When the last player is reached, they announce the message they just heard, to the entire group.
Who Am I?Is a guessing game where players use yes or no questions to guess the identity of a famous person or animal. Questions are based upon the characteristics of a person or animal everyone will be able to identify.
The first player might say, “Argentina.”
The second player can then say, “Brazil.”
The third player can say, “Canada,” and so on.