The preschool children have recently enjoyed exploring a variety of engaging games that Jenn brought in from home, each offering fun and valuable learning opportunities. It all began with Outdoor Connect 4, where the children eagerly gathered around as it was set up. Liam invited his friend saying, “Ayoub, do you want to play with me?” and the two began taking turns. Wesley excitedly called out, “Look, I made a pattern: green, blue, green, blue!” which inspired Anna V to ask, “Liam, do you want to help me?” The game encouraged cooperation, pattern recognition, and teamwork, especially when played outdoors where the children engaged in a new environment.
Jenn then introduced Washer Toss. Holding up a washer, she explained, “This is a washer. We need to try and get the washer into the box. When you get it in the box, it’s 2 points, and when it gets into the white hole, that’s 3 points.” The children lined up patiently for their turn. “Can I have a turn?” Liam asked, and cheers erupted when Grayson announced proudly, “I got it in!” Armaan beamed as he succeeded too, and the children shouted joyfully, “Yay Armaan!” Through this activity, they practiced patience, developed hand-eye coordination, and supported one another with enthusiasm and pride.
The fun continued with Colour Croquet, a new game that caught everyone’s attention. Jenn explained how to use the mallet to hit the ball through the colorful wickets. “I did it!” Liam shouted as his ball rolled through two wickets. Some found the mallet tricky to hold, with Anna D asking, “Can you help me?” Grayson thoughtfully suggested, “Let’s put them closer,” when he noticed the wickets were spaced too far apart. The children took turns and cheered one another on with kind words and encouragement, showing empathy and teamwork.
Later, Jenn introduced Tetris XL Tumble. “You have to place these shapes onto the Tetris Tumble board without making it fall over,” Jenn explained. Ashton observed, “This looks like a seesaw,” tilting it back and forth. “It does look like a seesaw,” Jenn agreed. As the children began stacking the pieces, Wesley giggled, “It’s falling over!” while Grayson pointed out, “This one looks like a square.” Jaime, searching for the right piece, said, “I need a piece to go here.” Jenn encouraged, “Do you see a piece that looks like an L?” Jaime responded, “This blue one,” and carefully rotated it into place.
When all the games were played outdoors, they became even more engaging and equally as fun, demonstrating the importance of bringing indoor environmental activities to the outdoor space. Across all these activities, the children demonstrated critical thinking, coordination, and social growth through turn-taking, strategy, and shared excitement. What fun it was exploring these games together!
