Go Texan: Games To Play In The Preschool Classroom For Rodeo Week
Posted: Thursday, February 25, 2010
by Stephany Springer
As part of an ongoing series on the Rodeo theme in the preschool classroom, this article addresses games for the kids.
Rodeo week is full of excitement and fun for preschoolers. Why not hold your own Rodeo for a fun day of activities that keep the kids moving.
Here are a few suggestions for a day of just all out joy and play time for the kids.
As a class, make stick horses. These can be done by cutting horse head templates out of posterboard, then allowing the kids to add their own hair and color. Then staple together over a yardstick, dowel stick, etc. Now it is time for Barrel Racing. Each kid takes their stick horses and stands at the starting line. You can set up cones around the playground or if you are crafts, draw barrels on cardboard. Show the kids how to gallop with their stick horse around the barrels and back. Be sure to have barrel racing ribbons for every child! This also helps them learn how to gallop, a physical skill required at most kindergartens.
Hat Toss
Place a cowboy hat open on the ground. Allow the kids to toss beanbags into the hat from three feet away. The kids will love the challenge of trying to get the bag in the cowboy hat. You can also use a boot instead of a hat.
Old-Fashioned Dancing
Gather some bandanas and turn on the country music. If you have a local dancing troupe, you might invite them to come and show the kids how to square dance. If not, just turn on the music and show the kids how to sway the bandanas to the music. Then just let out the stresses of the day by dancing with the kids.
Rodeo Clowns
Make sure you get parent permission. You can also ask parents to volunteer to help. Then take red lip stick and put a dot on the nose and circles on the cheek for a fun, "Be A Rodeo Clown" center. The kids will love dressing up. Check out your local costume shop or teacher supply store for funny wigs and hats.
Hay jump
What kids don't love jumping in the hay? Most hardware stores will donate hay for school functions. This can be just a fun station to get energy out. Talk with the kids about animals and what they use hay for: sleeping, warmth, food, etc. Then let them play! You can also hide toy horses or pennies, etc. in the hay for the kids to find.
Tug of War
This is an oldie but goodie when it comes to kids. Kids will love pulling the rope and trying to throw their friends off balance.
Shoot the can
This may involve getting a little wet. Have the children take turns using a water gun to shoot down three empty cans. Be sure to have sheriff badges as awards and monitor this station closely.
These are just a few suggestions. I tended to set up a big carnival outside on the playground for the kids to go from activity to activity. You can enlist other teachers to help that way and everyone in school can join in the fun.
Feel free to leave any other games in the comment section below.
This Article has been viewed 1,725 times. (Not updated in real-time.)
Top-level comments on this article: (2 total)please tell me anything, cause i am bored
Lasso letters- use rope to form letters, names, or sight words on the floor.Chili Center - ask each parent to send a bag of dried beans to create a chili center in your sensory (water) table. Provide aprons. ladles, pots, etc.Bluebonnets-. Fingerprints in blue ink, blue tissue paper crumbled-up, or popcorn colored with dry tempra paint.
We want your comments! If you can read this, you don't have javascript enabled, so you can't use this comment system. Please enable javascript.