LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Preschoolers need plenty of opportunities for gross motor play, and large group activities are a great way to get them moving. These activities are perfect either indoors or outdoors, or when you want to keep the kids busy and active. They can help children grow in their learning, plus, they’re a lot of fun! Check out some great large group activities for preschoolers.

INDOOR LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

You may only have the option to stay indoors. These indoor large group activities encourage cooperation and enjoyment without having to set foot outdoors. Here are some ideas:

Bean Bag Toss

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers. You’ll need bean bags and a laundry basket or other large container. The object of the game is to toss the bean bag into the basket. If you have an especially large group, you can make it a competition by seeing who can get the most bean bags in the basket in a certain amount of time. If you do not have bean bags, you can make them easily by pouring uncooked rice into an old sock and securing it with a rubber band.

Obstacle Course – Large Group Activities for Preschoolers

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving. You’ll objects like hula hoops to jump through, chairs to climb over, and/or a tied-off string to crawl under. The object of the game is to see which team can get all of their players through the obstacle course the quickest. If you do not want it to be a race, simply take turns going through the course. Read about using those hula hoops for many more games too!

No equipment? No problem. Get creative with what you have! Just place classroom chairs in a row – kids can walk or run around them, crawl under a table, pick up a tray and carry it back to the starting line.

Parachute Games

There are a lot of great large group games that can be played with a parachute. For these games, you’ll need a parachute and a decent amount of space, like a gym. Some favorite parachute games include Popcorn, Simon Says, and Ring Around the Rosie.

No parachute? No problem! Grab an old flat sheet and start playing.

Arts and Crafts

Crafting can be done individually, but it is more fun in a large group if they are all working on the same project! Children can use all different resources such as paper, scissors, glue, paint, play dough, and many more. Arts and crafts are a great way to improve their fine motor skills. Make sure you keep the arts and crafts simple enough that the children can complete the project independently. Open ended projects are perfect. Remember it is about the process and not the end result.

Have you ever tried Artist Trading Cards? Artist trading cards are unique miniature works of art. They are homemade trading cards that must be 2.5” by 3.5” in size. On the back, write the name of artist, title and number it. Once your cards are made, start trading them with the class. Anyone can be an artist with these simple cards.

Puzzles

Give children puzzles to complete, and they can find where the pieces go together. This encourages both teamwork and thinking skills. If you do not have a puzzles, ask your students to send in old cereal box or cardboard box food covers (think boxed Macaroni and Cheese). Cut them apart and put them in a bag. The children can even cut apart the box tops to create the puzzles and then put the puzzles together. Read 10 ways to make homemade puzzles here.

Color Games

Games involving colors are easy to play with preschoolers and they can learn too! Play games such as Red Light Green Light. Play I Spy and encourage children to point to objects of different colors. Read more color games for preschoolers here.

Visual Spatial Puzzles – Square Puzzle Pack

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OUTDOOR LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Sometimes you just want to get the kiddos outside for some fresh air! These are some great large group games preschoolers can play outdoors.

Scavenger Hunt

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers. Hide a bunch of small objects around the yard or park and have the kids search for them. The first one to find all of the objects wins. You can also give them a list of things to find. Get ideas with this Scavenger Hunts packet.

Water Balloon Toss

This is a fun large group activity for preschoolers that will help them beat the heat. You’ll need a water balloon for each team. The object of the game is to see which team can keep the water balloon in the air the longest without it smashing to the ground and soaking the participants! How about a water obstacle course for hot days?

Bubble Blowing

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that is both fun and relaxing. Before you go outdoors, create your own bubble wands or grab items from your kitchen drawer. Did you know that a spatula with holes can make a great bubble wand?

Sidewalk Chalk for Large Group Activities for Preschoolers

Try hopscotch. This is a classic large group activity that preschoolers always enjoy. You’ll need a piece of sidewalk chalk and a stone or other small object. The object of the game is to toss the object into each square and then hop on one foot over to it. The first one to make it to the end wins.

Use the sidewalk chalk to create a movement and learning obstacle course. The kids can take turns moving through the path.

Relay Races

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving. You can set up a variety of different races, such as sack races, three-legged races, or egg and spoon races.

Free Play

Provide a large open area outdoors and let them run! Encourage them to create their own tag games. Play the classic games like London Bridges or Freeze Tag. If you have different size balls and a few hula hoops kids will entertain themselves!

LITERACY WHOLE GROUP ACTIVITIES

Literacy activities are an avenue for children to improve their reading, writing, and general understanding. The following are some exciting ways to boost preschoolers’ literacy skills.

Alphabet Scavenger Hunt

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers who are learning their letters. Hide objects around the room or house that begin with each letter of the alphabet. The first one to find all of the objects wins. You can also look around the room and try finding objects that start with the letters A to Z.

Large Group Activities for Preschoolers – Bag Storytelling

This is an excellent idea to promote children’s curiosity and creative storytelling skills. Children grab one object in the room and put it in the bag. As each object is pulled out of the bag, the child who chose that object tells a story about the object.

Word Match

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers who are learning to read. Write a bunch of words on one side of a large piece of paper. Make sure they are words that preschoolers will be familiar with such as Disney or Super Mario. Then place pictures of those words around the room. Can the kids find the pictures that match the words?

Alphabet Bingo

Practice letter recognition and handwriting with this game of Alphabet Bingo.

Alphabet Mix Up

Give each child a letter card. Some children may need two cards so that you have all 26 letters of the alphabet. Tell the children to stand up with their cards and move around the room. When you say LINE UP all the kids have to place their alphabet cards on the floor in a line in alphabetical order from A to Z. Pick up the cards and play again! You can use these Alphabet Cards.

Alphabet Box

Place one letter of the alphabet on 26 index cards so you have the letters A to Z all on small cards. Put them all in a bag. Place a shoe box with a slit cut out of the top in the middle of the group. The students can sit in a circle. Pass the bag around the room. Each child picks out a letter card from the bag. The child has to think of a word that starts with that letter and then places the letter card inside the alphabet box.

Want to add in movement? Use these Action Alphabet Cards so the kids have to move to each letter of the alphabet before they put it in the box.

Action Verb Alphabet

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MATH LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

Math can be a difficult academic subject for kids, but learning it in a large group setting as a fun game can make it easier and more enjoyable. Plus, their math skills will be sharp when they get to kindergarten. Here are some large group activities for preschoolers with a math theme:

Number Scavenger Hunt

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers who are learning their numbers. Give them each a paper with numbers on it. They have to find objects throughout the room that match each number. The first one to find all of the objects wins. Change it up. Give them each a number card. If they get a three, they have to find three similar object ie three pencils. You can mix it up and add categories – give a number card and find that many soft objects or heavy objects, etc.

Greater Than, Less Than, Equal To

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers who are learning about math concepts. Write a bunch of numbers on individual index cards. Pass them out to the children. The kids have to put them in order from least to greatest.

Number Bingo – Large Group Activities for Preschoolers

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers who are learning about number identification. You’ll need a bingo card with numbers on it for each child or make your own. The object of the game is to be the first one to get five numbers in a row.

Counting Animals

The kids are all shown a picture of animals and they have to shout out how many animals are in the pictures. Make it harder. How many animal feet are in the picture? How many tails? Add in movement. The kids can move like the animals pictured.

LARGE GROUP ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS – CIRCLE TIME PRESCHOOL LEARNING ACTIVITIES

Circle time is always an important part of every preschooler’s day. During this time they are encouraged to learn in a group setting, and practice self-regulation skills, while also having a good time. Here are some excellent preschool circle time activities

Calendar

This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that helps them learn the days of the week, months of the year, and seasons.

Days of the Week Worksheets PDF and Mini Books

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Weather

The kids can sing or talk about the weather for that day. They can discuss the weather in different seasons. Incorporate physical activity by moving like the weather. Can they tip toe like the pitter patter of the rain? Can they stomp their feet like loud thunder? Try spinning like a tornado. Wave your arms in the air like the wind. Spin like a snowflake falling to the ground.

Songs or Nursery Rhymes

Any song or nursery rhyme is a great large group activity that preschoolers can sing together that helps them learn about rhythm and rhyme. Moving to music is wonderful fun. Read more about music and movement for preschoolers.

Movement Songs

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Stories

One child can start the story, and the next child in the circle can continue the story. This way children learn literacy and listening skills. Try putting small props in the middle of the circle. The child have to create a story using the props.

Try imagination action stories to get the kids listening and moving.

WHOLE GROUP MOVEMENT ACTIVITIES FOR PRESCHOOLERS

It is clear that movement and exercise are good for kids. When they can combine movement activities with group activities, children can be social, active, and experience some super fun learning. They also work on developing their gross motor skills.

1. Simon Says: This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving and following directions. Read 100 Simon Says Game Ideas here.

2. Red Light, Green Light: This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving and thinking about concepts such as stop and go.

3. The Hokey Pokey: This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving and thinking about body parts. Try a group game of body part bingo when you are done.

4. Freeze Dance: This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving and thinking about rhythm and self control.

5. Animal Walks: This is a great large group activity for preschoolers that gets them moving and thinking about animal movements.

Check out all of these fun self control games that require no equipment!

Large group activities are a great way to keep preschoolers active and engaged. Whether you’re indoors or outdoors, there’s something for everyone in this roundup of fun ideas. So get your kids moving with these exciting activities today!