Recess is the best time of the day. Children get to mingle with their friends, and you get a few minutes to recharge your batteries for the rest of the day. You might be a teacher, but you still need a little time to yourself, and recess is the perfect opportunity to sit back and relax. Unfortunately, when the weather isn’t too good, your students are best kept indoors. That does mean; however, you need to entertain them. So, what indoor recess games could you play during wet or wild weather?
Who Can Jump the Farthest?
A very easy game that doesn’t require much effort on anyone’s part – but can keep the kids in line. So, set down a marker at your desk and one near the door and see how far each child can jump. You could even set a few challenges. For instance, split the class into pairs and those with the combined furthest distance wins.
I am Thinking of a Number Between 1 and 100…
This is a classic game but one that’ll keep the kids entertained for a while. You write down a number on a piece of paper and ask each student to guess. Whoever guesses the right number or closest, wins. It’s a good way to kill some time, especially during stormy recesses. You could have the winner of the first-round choose a number while the class guesses the new number.
Simple Charades
Who doesn’t love a game of charades? It gets every child involved and is fun to play with. If you wanted to get the ball rolling, start first, then have the winner come up next. It’s a useful game that doesn’t require a lot of effort but will keep most kids entertained for recess.
Mr. Judge
Pick a student to play the judge. Have them stand in the corner, facing the wall, while you point to another student and have them say something. The student playing the Judge must guess who talked without turning around. If the student guesses right, they maintain their role as the judge. If they guess wrong, however, they sit down and the one who fooled them takes over as the judge. It’s a simple game but can be played in a hundred different ways to keep it interesting.
Hang Man
A classic that doesn’t disappoint. Play this with the entire class. Set up a hangman on the front board and come up with a movie, book, or character for the kids to guess. Everyone takes a turn in picking a letter until someone guesses the right answer. That student can then come up to the front of the class and come up with a movie or character.
Tic-Tac-Toe
You could split the children into pairs and have them play rounds of tic-tac-toe. Have them keep a score with the winners (best 2-out-of-3) playing other winners. The person with the most wins at the end of recess is declared the overall champion. Any ties can be played with one final round.
Online Computer Games
If the children have laptops, you could direct them to play age-appropriate computer games. It’s a simple way to pass the time and most children will be quiet as they play. You probably don’t want to try this game first, but, if you can’t find anything else to appease the children, it’s worth a try.
The Hot/Cold Game
Let the students hide an item in the room while you stand outside for a minute. When you come into the room you walk towards where you think the kids have hidden the item. They’ll say if you’re hot or cold. If you’re cold, you’re nowhere near the item. If you’re hot, you’re getting closer to it.
Wordsearches and Puzzle Games
Sometimes, you want a break as much as the children, so why not give them a fun activity that doesn’t require much supervision. Wordsearches and other puzzle games can be perfect for recess. They will keep the class quiet and it’s a simple way to pass the time.
Trivia Quizzes
Test your students’ knowledge with trivia questions. You can go around each student and ask them a question, for every answer they get right, they get a point. The student with the most points at the end of recess is the winner. There are lots of variations to try, such as splitting into groups or pitting boys against the girls and vice-versa.
Get the Students Involved
Sometimes, it’s best to ask the students what they’d prefer to do at recess. Some might want to read quietly, and others catch-up on their homework or other class assignments. So, let the students decide what they’d like. It’s a useful way to encourage the kids to have a say.
A Fun of Recess
Recess should be a time for fun, but of course, when the weather is horrid outside, it’s best to keep them indoors. Games are a great way to pass the time and keep the students entertained. There are lots of great games, such as Mr. Judge, Hot/Cold, Hangman, and much more. You could even encourage children to recommend a game they’d like to play. It’s a simple way to pass the time during recess.
