About Kids Games

What's worse than rain on a perfect day? It's the lack of a good thing or a productive thing to do. Nowadays, children, instead of having to play kids indoor games would rather spend their time playing with their top of the line gaming console or their latest handheld portable game devices. Though there is nothing wrong with these advancements in technology we have to pay a certain price that some people are not even aware of.

One of the perils of technology taking over the play time of children is the separation of children from their friends. In the past children would gather together in a vacant lot to play baseball or tag or horse or whatever it was that kids play at the time. These physically challenging games helped children develop muscle tone and promoted exercise that in a way helped them in taking care of their bodies. Aside for the physical rewards that games children play bring it also promotes social interaction, attitude adjustment and cooperation among peers. These games helped them see that there are things that can be done individually and as a group.

Because of the isolating nature of these high tech devices children are more inclined to sliding back into their own worlds safe from anything that the outside world can dish out. Though there is a certain safety and comfort that these devices bring it isolates children from their peers and social skills that they should have are not developed. This results in kids having little tolerance to failure, low self-esteem, the need to find an easier way out and fault finding. To remedy this situation some parents are reintroducing children to classic indoor games that can be played by the family, with the family such as:

- board games. Since then, board games have always dominated the indoor games for kids scene since the beginning of gaming history started. Some of the classic games that captured the hearts and imagination of kids and adults alike are board games like Monopoly, Snakes and Ladders, Scrabble and other turn based board games. These games develop strategy and critical thinking in kids because of the high level of decision making involved in them. Recently board games have been given a facelift and have enjoyed new edition to their line. Games like Warhammer 3000, Tactics the game, Vampires: Bloodlines and other games introduced recently.

- card games. Unlike before when card games were considered plain and boring, many card games come with a twist these days, making it a popular choice for kids' indoor games. The secret to a good card game is the ability of the player to more cards to complement the core of their games. In Japan, card games like Yu-gi-oh: Duel Monsters, Pokemon card game, Duel Masters and other recent developed card games give the old Trump cards a new twist and a new flavor. The Japanese have conquered the world with these card games and they have brought dying kids indoor games new life.

They have created and developed a new interest in these games; card games from the Japanese include a high level of strategy and skill in predicting an opponent's move. And because its turn based the level of excitement is higher than ordinary car games.

Technology has fast taken over the way we live our lives nowadays. People have invested so much on online things and activities, people now look for the ultimate digital experience. But because of this much faster way of living people have taken for granted some of the other things that used to be the next best thing. Kids' indoor games like card games, board games, role playing games and sports games have been sent to the sidelines.

Kids nowadays are more excited with the release of the newest game console rather than the sharpening their wits in a good game of scrabble or boggle. These kids are more into the easy and digital world that they can indulge in, where swords appear out of nowhere and enemies bigger than them can be slain in one blow. The wired generations of kids have all these gadgets with them to keep them company but there is one thing that they have been missing out on. One of the dangers of the wired generation is the lack of socialization skills that older generations have and enjoy.

Nowadays, if you want to know what's going on with your friend you follow them on Twitter or Facebook. If your friend posts a sad status message you comment with a virtual smiley or a virtual hug to cheer them up. You can even be neighbors on the farm thanks to the wonders of the digital age. But all of these make our children less keen on interacting personally with other people because for them the world can be whatever they want in the virtual universe.

In the recent years, people and focus groups have been reintegrating physical activities, kids indoor games, role playing games and other forms of recreation that harness social interaction and camaraderie in children. The aim of these people is to introduce to the next generation of adults and children tools of interaction a few people are using right now. With the help of concerned parents and other non profit groups, people have been reviving the games of the past to make children realize the value of social interaction and cooperation.

Aside from traditional games, game manufacturers have also committed themselves into reintegrating older forms of gaming in the 21st century game concepts. In the past years board games like Warhammer, Dungeons and Dragons and Vampires: Bloodlines have turned to the old board for the turn based gaming with a new twist. Following on their lead are card games like Magic: The Gathering, Japanese card games like Yu-gi-oh: Duel Monsters, Duel Masters and other card games. These are just some of the attempts to bring back the old days of good old gaming where you don't have to compete with your virtual self just to have a god time.

Some of the games that have been given a second wind are kids' indoor games like Snakes and Ladders, Twister, Scrabble and other board games. These games are he classic giants that have made playing indoors a wonderful experience for the whole family.

Games children play are the most fun of all games. Most of them are played outdoors. What happens when the weather is not cooperative. Kids could not possibly sit down and wallow in their bedrooms. They need to have fun and have excitement in whatever form. Now, as parents, you need not worry too much about such concerns. Indoor kids’ games are there to provide assistance and facilitate children’s genuine fun times. Here are several indoor kids’ games that you should observe and play while staying indoors due to bad weather.

Computer games do wonders. They are now considered as among the top indoor kids’ games that are available to the public. Anyone could enjoy computer games anytime of the day. You could play them through the computer, the laptop, the television set, or through special video gaming gadgets available commercially. When you say videogames, think more than Warcrafts, Sega, and Nintendo. There are stil numerous computer games out there. All you need to do is to open up your eyes and wander around for available computer games that could be fun and exciting to play at the same time.

‘Where did you find that face?’ could be a really fun indoor kids’ game. To play, have players sit around a circle, all facing inwards. The first player starts by creating a silly face. The player who would laugh out loud while making the face would be instantly out. Remember that chuckling or laughing is not allowed, but smiling is permitted. The current player would then pass the ‘face’ to the next player, which could be the one to his or her left.

Play Classic Bullseye board game. This is based on the popular TV classic dart quiz. The game confronts children with hoards of tricky questions with corresponding rewards for every correctly answered ones, the Bully’s star prize. Go through various rounds. Undoubtedly, this is a great entertainment that even older family members could participate in and have fun.

An indoor scavenger hunt would be equally fun and exciting. Do you need ideas for the game? Here are some: ask for something that is green, that ties, that is fuzzy, that has a face, and so on. Whoever among the children would be able to find the items asked for would score points. Whoever does so at the quickest time would qualify to win prizes. As you organize the event, make sure you promote and foster sportsmanship. Do not forget to ask the children to clean up and fix their mess.

Monopoly is one of the most popular board games ever. It even gets more popular. This board game is played like purchasing property and real estate. You have to develop the ‘acquisition’ and make sure opponents would lose their money long before you do. Monopoly has gone several versions and is now reaching out more to children.

There are variations for kids like Disney editions, cat and dog edition, and deluxe editions. Kids would surely have a grand time playing these indoor kids’ games.

They say that the place where accidents commonly happen is at home. As funny and ironic as it may sound the truth remains that our houses is where most of the dangers to our children lurk. Even when playing kids indoor games accidents is a biter reality that we have to always deal with.

What are the common causes of accidents at play?
There are a lot of factors that contribute to the high rate of accidents happening inside the house. Some of them are due to outright neglect and some due to forces that we have no control over. Some of the major causes of accidents at play are lack of attention to the kids, horse playing, and lack of guidance and outside factors.

Lack of attention or lack of supervision by adults result in accidents even when kids indoor games are played. The adult in charge must always be vigilant and watchful when there are kids playing inside the house. This is because the house was never intended to be a play area. Things that are out of place can and may lead to serious injuries when they are left unattended. So be sure to watch after the kids when they are playing inside the house.

Horse play is common among kids and they enjoy this silly ritual as a form of release or expression of happiness and other emotions. Often times when left by with their own devices kids who are engaged in horse play often fin themselves getting hurt or seriously hurting others. Again, the amount of attention adults in charge pay kids when they are horse playing can mean the difference between injury and enjoyment.

Even when adults pay close attention to children at play it is never a guarantee that they will not get hurt or get into an accident, they will still get into one if left unguided. Guiding the children during play is as important as watching out for things that may hurt them or cause them injury. Guiding a child during play means setting rules along the way to what she or he can and cannot do. This minimizes excessive horse play or aggressiveness during play time that may lead to injury or inflicting injury to other kids.

Other factors that cause a good time to turn into a parents' nightmare are things like animals, open doors, a pool, and other factors that we have no direct control over. These are the things that make an accident an accident. They are the little things that we could’ve put away or done something about but never did and it ended up spoiling a fun time for the kids.

Kids' indoor games were meant to provide alternative entertainment to kids that cannot get fun out of the outside world. Kids who are playing indoors should be protected form all kinds of peril inside the house and it's the duty of the adult in charge to ensure that the house is a fun and safe place for kids to enjoy.

Games, psychologists say, are benchmarks for children on how they will act and play real games when they become adults. As always, a set of rules are needed for games, either played by kids or adults. And certainly there is no difference with indoor kid’s games or those done outdoors.

Some of the handed-down games we play today don’t have instruction manuals. Yet, we somehow know what the rules are. And we know, too, if the rules are not followed, if there was cheating or if there were questionable moves we think are not right.

Made-up rules

Actually, some of the best children’s games are those where the rules are made up. There are certain children’s games that resemble some of our old cherished games, and we discover that the children had altered them.

The more important aspect, actually, is if the rules (made up or original or altered) are followed. By being clear on rules, there is less trouble, less disputes and arguments, and losers accept their losses.

Laying down rules

In children’s games, there is always one child who knew the rules. Even if the rules were changed, this kid will know it by heart and would keep reminding every one who breaches them.

Sometimes the new rules would be worked out, and the old ones were discarded. After a time, the new rules would have inconsistencies in them and they would be discarded later, in turn. This know-it-all kid would remember them the next day when the game is played again.

Disputes

It is always a good policy, then, to establish rules in advance before the games are played. This is especially true in children’s indoor games where there are so many variations of familiar games. Each place seemed to have a version of any game.

Setting the rules clearly and having everyone to agree should be implemented first before any game. This is to avoid arguments later when the game has begun. But as adults would later find out, children (the younger ones, especially) find it fun to change rules and make up new ones as they go along with whatever game they have.

Fair play and cheating

When children play games, squabbles arise over the rules all the time. Many kids do not bother to read the rules before starting games. Getting the kids into the rules first will teach them to be fair players.

More disputes, however, are caused by cheating. Kids are creative when it comes to sneak around rules and most will do so given the chance.

Historically, there had always been cheaters in games, whether played by kids or adults, indoor games or outdoor competitions. To avoid conflicts, it is best to establish a no-cheating rule. (Cheating will forfeit the whole game, points are deducted, or at least, a turn.)

Enjoying the game

Lest everyone gets distracted and becomes very strict in everything, an adult could make light the situation. One way is to invent games where “cheating” is integral to winning.

These should, of course, be selective, lest wrong signals are given to the children. The most important signal is that games should be enjoyed and not littered with disputes and arguments and outright quarrels. This applies on both outdoor and indoor kid’s games.

In recent research done by an independent body it was found out that adults go to parties more often than kids do. And these party going adults have played kids indoor games more times than little tots have. Funny as it may sound but there is truth t this research. The only difference between adults partying and children partying is that going home time is not as troublesome kids party goers parents as they are for adults.

Now what does that tell us about adult parties? One thing is very clear here and that's adults have more time to party than children do and with this knowledge a lot of people may spend more time planning for their parties than planning for children's parties.

Party basics
Children's parties have some basics that need to be met. One is the food, it is important to have different kinds of food for the people coming to your party. One of the worst things that can happen in a party is for the host to suddenly find out that there is a shortage of grub and there are more mouths congregating on the refreshment table. Planning the entrees of your party is basic. For adult festivities, the booze is the measure of the party's success. It pretty simple, more booze more fun and more fun means success of the party. It's as bad as running out of food but running out of booze is totally unheard of. Lastly, mood is the name of the game. Setting the right mood with the right music and the right lighting effects create a more suitable environment for people to get comfortable and enjoy.

Party themes
For people planning a party, theme is now the in thing. Theme is what makes a party stand out from the rest of the block. In the past years block parties and roof top parties were the most popular thing in the neighborhood. Kids throwing their parties take into consideration these ideas to make their party successful. Nowadays, theme parties range from costume parties to decorated rooms. Some of the ideas for themes parties are themes from movies. For example a star wars theme party would have dozens of Obi Wan Kenobis and even more Chewbaccas. A cowboy theme party would have a host of bandits and wranglers of the Wild west coming alive. Other themes for parties come from movies, television shows, comic books and novels.

Kids' games turned life of the party
Kids' indoor games have been given a new lease on life because of adults wanting to have something to play at parties without the cost of having to think of one on their own. Kids' indoor games have two of the most important things for a party activity to be successful, one is that it's easy to play and the other one is that almost everybody knows how to play it. Some of the most popular games that adults play these days are Twister, Musical chairs and Simon says.

Indoor activities do not necessarily need to be boring for children to hate them. There surely would be days when they could not go outdoors because of the weather. As a parent, you certainly do not want them to wallow inside the house. You have to make them realize that there could be indoor kids’ games that they could enjoy and play inside home premises. Now, keeping kids entertained and excited during cold winter and rainy months would not be a difficult task.

In the past, children just resort to television viewing, reading, and video game playing during bad weather days when they stay home. To some, the activities could already be fun and satisfying. But children would be children. They would enjoy it more if they could run around, play games, and have fun with each other even while inside the house. As a responsible and caring parent, you could definitely help make it happen. By planning indoor kids’ games, you surely would be able to deliver your task.

What indoor kids’ games could be facilitated inside the house? Of course, on top of the list would be board games. There are many of such games that are available commercially. The advantage of board games is that most of them have boards and materials that are already sold commercially. They are fun and are easy to play. You could join the children in playing to make the board games more exciting. This could be a perfect opportunity to bond with your kids. Do not let it pass.

If you think usual outdoor sports could not be enjoyed indoors, think again. Indoor kids’ games could now include popular sports like soccer, tennis, swimming, and basketball. Indoor soccer is possible if there is a large room with plenty of raw space for running and moving. Tennis could be played indoors in tennis bubbles and clubs. Indoor swimming pool could logically facilitate swimming, while basketball could be played again if there is a very spacious room in the house.

Computer games could work magic. Thus, they are now considered as among the top indoor kids’ games that are available to the public. Anyone could enjoy computer games anytime of the day. You could play them through the computer, the laptop, the television set, or through special video gaming gadgets available commercially. When you say videogames, think more than Mario Brothers, Playstation, and Warcrafts. There are stil numerous computer games out there. All you need to do is to open up your eyes and wander around for available computer games that could be fun and exciting to play at the same time.

Perhaps, you could also opt for craft activities rather than the usual indoor kids’ games. These could entertain children effectively indoors. Plan crafts and specific themes like winter season, holiday, and animals. You could still inject the element of gaming. Make the kids guess or identify several materials or items found in craft shops and used in doing craft activities.