15 Best Group Games For Kids

Group games are great for building social and emotional skills in kids. We present you with group games for kids in this post to help you entertain and engage them. When kids play together, they can learn to mingle with their peers and build interpersonal and communication skills. They also learn to expand their understanding of things and get accustomed to diversity. Plunge into this post for a list of the best educational group games that your children can play both indoors and outdoors.

In This Article

15 Fun Group Games And Activities For Kids

The games we have selected in this article aim to engage kids productively and aid in developing a child’s creative, intellectual and kinesthetic abilities. We have categorized games into indoor and outdoor.

Indoor Group Games For Kids

The games are designed to make optimum use of the resources and space available indoors.

1. Fruit basket

Fruit basket is one of the best large group games you can play indoors. It is fun and uses the basic materials that you are likely to find in every household.

Number of players: 15 or more

You will need: Paper, double-sided sticky tape, and pens

How to play:

1. Divide the children into four groups. Ask the groups to pick a theme such as dinosaurs, flowers, animals, fruits, scientists or anything else they like. You can also name the groups after some fruits, or just assign numbers.
2. Give each player a sheet of paper and ask them to write the name of the team on one side and stick the tape to the other side.
3. Mix all the groups and ask all but one to arrange themselves in a circle randomly. One person will stand in the center of the circle.
4. The kids will have to stick their paper to the floor, like a floor marker, and stand on it.
5. The player in the center of the circle will call out the name of a group. Each member of that group has to move to a new place in the circle, while the player in the center tries to steal a place in the circle.
6. The child who remains out of the circle will stand in the center of the circle, and the fun continues!

This game can be played by kids aged 3 or above.

2. Steal the bacon

Steal the Bacon is a fun game that does not involve stealing bacon from the neighbor’s house or the host’s house. In fact, it has nothing to do with a piece of meat! Keep reading as we tell you what it is.

Number of players: 10-19

You will need: Objects that can be grabbed quickly, such as shoes, toys, balls, fruits, pens, etc., around 30 in number.

How to play:

1. Divide the group into two equal teams. Have the two teams stand face-to-face in two parallel lines, with enough gap in between.
2. Find as many objects as you can and place only one in the center.
3. Assign a number (in sequence) to each member of a team, such that every member of one side has a counterpart with the same number in the opposing team.
4. The moderator will call out a number at random (from the assigned numbers), and the kids with that assigned number should try to grab the object in the center.
5. The team that gets the object gets a point, and the team with the highest score wins.

This game is ideal for middle school kids and pre-teens.

Free Worksheets and Printables for Kids

3. Cold wind blows

There is not a lot of physical activity in this game, but agility and presence of mind play an important role.

Number of players: 10-15

You will need: Space to play, chairs

How to play:

1. Arrange the chairs in a circle. Have one chair lesser than the number of players.
2. All players but one sit in the chair and one player stands in the center.
3. The players will then say “a cold wind blows for anyone who…” and point at one of the sitting members.

For example, players can say:

“a cold wind blows for anyone who is wearing a black shirt.”
“a cold wind blows for anyone who has a mole on their hand.”
“a cold wind blows for anyone who plays basketball.”

And so on.

4. When the player says “a cold wind blows…”, anyone who meets the criteria should change their seat by choosing another player.
5. The player in the middle also tries to find a vacant seat while the players exchange places.
6. In the end, there is one player left.

This game can be fun for middle and high school students and can be played for as long as the group is having fun. You can also do away with the chairs and have the kids sit on the floor with markers.

4. Bob, the weasel

This is yet another circle game in which the objective is to find the hidden object. The game encourages kids to concentrate and try to read the other person’s body language.

Number of players: 8-15

You will need: A small object that can be passed around discreetly, space to play

How to play:

1. Get the players to sit in a circle. One person is chosen to be ‘Bob, the weasel,’ who stands in the center of the circle.
2. The players in the circle put their hands behind their back and pass the chosen object without giving Bob any hints about the exact position of the object.
3. If Bob can point out who has the object successfully, the person caught with the object becomes Bob, and the game continues.

This game can be played by teenagers, tweens, and even adults.

5. The Ah, Um Game

Fillers. Kids use them a lot, just as the adults do. Speakers may be okay using the fillers such as ‘ah,’ ‘um,’ ‘like,’ and ‘you know’ as many times as they want. But the listeners hate them. This game can teach the kids to speak without using the annoying filers. Sounds interesting?

Number of players: 10-12

You will need: List of topics, timer

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into teams of three or four.
2. Give them the taboo words, a.k.a fillers such as ‘ah,’ ‘um,’ ‘like,’ ‘you know’ and so on.
3. Next, give the kids topic they can speak on for one minute. Topics could include favorite movie, meal, sport, holiday, author, book, etc.
4. Let a member of a group volunteer to speak about the given topic for one minute, without using the taboo words.
5. If the child successfully avoids the taboo words, he or she moves to the next round. But if he fails, the next member gets the chance to speak.

The team that avoids using taboo words completely wins.

Quick tip

Another fun yet challenging game children can play in groups is ‘Filling the bucket.’ Divide children into groups of two or three. Place a water-filled drum at one end of the play zone and distribute buckets to each team. Set a timer and instruct each team to use their hands to fill the bucket with water. The team that fills the maximum amount of water within the stipulated time wins

6. Walrus

This is a fun game that young kids and teens will enjoy all the same. The game is innovative and is sure to bring out a lot of laughs in the room.

Number of players: 10-12

You will need: Chairs, closed room, and space to play

How to play:

Walrus is a guessing game wherein the players mask an activity or action with a word like ‘walrus,’ and one person has to guess what it is. The game encourages the kids to think and use language intelligently. The game also teaches kids to respond consciously, after careful thinking.

1. One person is It and is sent out of the room.
2. The others in the room decide upon one action or activity such as biking, eating, sleeping, dancing, reading and so on.
3. Then they pick a random word like a walrus, teddy bear, peach, etc. that they will replace the word with.
4. It comes back in and asks questions to guess what the word is, and the players in the room have to answer by replacing the word with the substitute word. For example, if the word is biking:

Q: When do you do this activity?
A: I walrus every day to school and whenever I feel like.
Q: Do you walrus at night?
A: Yes
Q: Do you walrus at home?
A: Yes

And so on. The kids answering the questions should be careful not to reveal the actual word.

7. Look up, look down

A fun game for all ages, Look Up, Look Down can be played on any occasion. Whether at a party, picnic or school, children will love playing this game.

Number of players: 15-20

You will need: Place to form a large circle

How to play:

1. Have the players form a large circle. They can stand a feet or two apart.
2. Once the circle is formed, all the players should be asked to look down.
3. When the moderator shouts out “Look up,” the players have to look up and immediately look at another person in the circle.
4. If the person they are looking at them also looks at them at the same time, they scream together and leave the circle.
5. The remaining players stand in their place and continue to stare at the person they have been looking at until the moderator says “look down.”

The game continues until there are no more than two to three players left in the circle.

8. Three things and a theater

This is a small group activity that encourages spur-of-the-moment creativity and helps in quick thinking and improving the child’s problem-solving skills.

Number of players: 9-12

You will need: Props/everyday objects, space for performance

How to play:

1. Pick three kids from the group and send them to the stage/performance area and ask them to present a skit that they can come up with in two-five minutes.
2. The other participants can ask the three kids to use any object in the room as a prop in the skit.
3. Give the children no more than two-three minutes each for the skit. Once they are done, pick another three members and repeat the steps.

Care should be taken to make sure that all the members of the group get a chance to perform. This game/activity is an excellent choice for summer camps and theater workshops.

9. Team architect

Team architect is one of the more common classroom group activities. It helps children use their logical ability and common sense to create simple objects using the science of engineering and construction.

The game gives players basic materials, thus encouraging their problem-solving skills as well.

Number of players: 12-15

You will need: Basic craft material like glue, newspapers, string, pop sticks, sticky tape, etc., depending on the game you choose.

How to play:

1. Divide the group into teams and give them the materials to build the selected object. Things you can ask to build are:

• A bridge or a book holder using pop sticks and glue
• A newspaper tower at least five feet tall
• An egg support

2. Set a time limit and give specific instructions as to what the kids can do and cannot do to complete the task.
3. The team that completes the project or task in time scores the point.

Make sure that the resources given to each team are the same. This activity is ideal for older kids and teenagers and works excellently in STEM classes at school.

Outdoor Group Games For Kids

Who wants to be cooped up inside on a bright and sunny day? When the kids want to play outside, these games can be fun.

10. Body spellers

This is a body-bending game that makes your child stretch, bend, twist and turn as needed, to spell a word. How? Read next to find out.

Number of players: 9-15

You will need: Space, a list of words that can be spelled by the kids

How to play:

1. Form two or more teams of at least four members each. Have equal players in each team.
2. Give specific instructions on how they can spell, e.g., using only the fingers, hands, or the entire body.
3. Give the teams a word, no longer than four letters, to spell as instructed in under a minute or two.
4. The team that spells the word right first gets a point.

The team with the maximum points is the winner.

11. Snake in the gutter

Snake in the gutter is a fun game for the younger kids, who love running and catching. The game can be played indoors or outdoors.

Number of players: 6,8-12

You will need: Space to play

How to play:

1. The objective of the game is to pass through a gutter without getting touched by the snakes.
2. Have three or more kids form a gutter by standing in a line, with a wide gap between each child, facing the remaining players. These kids become the snakes.
3. The remaining kids have to try and pass the gutter while the snakes try to touch them.
4. If the kid gets touched by a snake, he becomes a snake and joins the others in the gutter.

This fun game can be played with primary and middle school kids.

12. Elves, Wizards and, Giants

This is a unique version of Rock, Paper, and Scissors, except, the kids will use their hands, legs and even entire bodies instead of just fingers.

Number of players: 4-12

You will need: Large area/space to play

How to play:

The rules for this game are similar to the rules of Rock, Paper, and Scissors.

• Giants can conquer wizards. The kids have to raise their hands above their head when they stand to pose as giants.
• Wizards can conquer elves. To be a wizard, the kids have to form a triangle with their arms over their head, replicating a wizard hat.
• Elves can conquer giants. To pose as an elf, kids have to place their hands alongside the ears, with the index finger extended just a little.

Once the rules are clear, you can start the game.

1. Divide the kids into two teams, and also divide the room or play area into two zones.
2. Each team will have a safe zone where the stronger team cannot attack them.
3. The teams will stand at least four feet apart from each other. The teams can huddle and discuss what they want to be and on the count of three by the moderator, shout out who they are.
4. If one team chooses an option stronger than the other, they can chase the weaker team and try to tag them before they reach the safe zone.
5. Anyone who gets tagged becomes a part of the opposing team.

The team with fewer players in the end loses. This game helps develop agility, teamwork and listening skills.

13. All over

This game is similar to the beach ball or Nerf ball games, where the teams try to push all the objects towards the other team to win.

Number of players: 10-16

You will need: A lot of tennis balls, footballs, basketballs, etc., space to play

How to play:

1. Divide the kids into two teams with an equal number of players.
2. Divide the play zone into two halves and mark the team’s territories.
3. Give the teams the same number of balls and ask them to stand in their designated zones.
4. On the count of three, the players will try to roll, throw, or kick the ball to the opposition’s side.
5. If a team manages to push all their balls to the other side, they shout out ‘All over’ and win.
6. If there are way too many balls, you can set a timer and at the end, whichever team has fewer balls wins.

It is best to use lightweight balls for this game, to minimize the risk of injury.

14. Catch the dragon’s tail

This fun game is ideal for middle and high school kids. It can be played by adults too!

Number of players: 12-18

You will need: A large ground or space where the game can be played

How to play:

This is a simple game that requires the kids to form a long chain and not break it.

1. Ask the kids to form a long human chain by holding hands.
2. The person standing first is the head of the dragon and the one at the end is the tail of the dragon.
3. The head should try and catch the tail, while the others in the middle should try and stop the head, without breaking the chain.
4. If the head succeeds in catching the tail, the tail becomes the head, and the person at the end of the chain becomes the tail.
5. And the game continues with the new head and tail.

This game helps children think about strategy and develop agility and swiftness.

15. Molecules

This game has minimal physical activity but engages the child’s listening skills and their ability to respond quickly. The game is best played in an auditorium or a playground.

Number of players: 20-30 (large groups)

You will need: Space to play

How to play:

1. Ask the participants to walk freely around the room.
2. The moderator then asks the kids to make “molecules of…”. The participants have to form groups or show characteristics of that object.

For instance, if the leader says:

• ‘Form molecules of six,’ the players will have to form groups of six quickly. Anyone who fails to be a part of a team is out.
• ‘Form molecules of one,’ the players have to stand on one leg and put their hands straight up, like the number one.
• ‘Molecules of a submarine,’ they have to lie down on the floor and put one leg up, like the submarine’s viewfinder.

You can create a list of objects that you want the kids to imitate. However, clear instructions must be given to the participants beforehand.

3. Anyone who fails to follow instructions is out of the game.

The game can be played for as long as the kids are having fun or when just two to three kids are remaining in the field.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Which group games for children require minimal equipment?

Classic games (such as Hide and Seek), chase games (Foxes and Hares), pair games (Shadows), and tag games (Stuck in the Mud and Duck Duck Goose) are some games your children can play without equipment.

2. How can parents ensure that group games for children are age-appropriate?

When selecting a group game for children, ensure that it suits their intellectual, cognitive, emotional, physical, and behavioral development. If a child has some mental or physical disability, you should consider it when planning outdoor games.

3. How can group games help foster collaborative problem-solving skills?

When children play in a group setting, they face the same scenario and are challenged to solve the same problem. As a result, all minds work together and develop the best solution. This promotes teamwork and enhances collaborative problem-solving.

4. What safety precautions should we take when playing group games with children?

When playing group games with children, ensure the play area is confined and secured by a fence, no sharp or harmful objects are present, the first aid kit is handy and there is access to clean water (especially when playing outdoors).

Group games help children learn valuable social skills. They learn sportsman spirit, teamwork, coordination, and increased collaboration. These games teach children how to be a part of a team. They aid in the overall of your child’s mind and body. It improves the child’s motor and cognitive skills. Depending on the number of participants, age group, and other factors, you can pick any game from this elaborate list.

Infographic: Fun Indoor Group Games For Children

Group games and activities are an excellent way to help children build interpersonal relationships and improve their physical and mental health. While you might know plenty of outdoor group games, the infographic below lists some entertaining indoor games that they’ll enjoy, especially on rainy days or at a house party.

Get high-quality PDF version by clicking below.

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Harshita Makvana

B.Com, PG Dip

Harshita is a graduate in commerce and holds a PG Diploma in Patent and Copyrights Law from NALSAR University. She has also pursued CA and has more than three years of internship experience in auditing. Her love for travelling has taken her to various parts of the world, and writing the travelogues was what brought out her love for content… more