Nursery World - Nursery Equipment: Games

Outdoor games are healthy, teach valuable skills, and require only basic resources such as bean bags, hoops and chalk, says Helen Bilton.

For centuries, simple outdoor games have been a staple of children's play. Using only the most basic of resources, these games provide children with endless opportunities to throw, hop, skip, run and jump, and the atmosphere they generate positively encourages children to shout and move freely.

An enormous amount of learning can develop through such games. First, and very importantly, children often learn to do two things at once. Skipping and singing in unison, for example, requires the brain to move the body rhythmically while singing to the same rhythm.

Aiming at a target requires good hand-eye co-ordination and the ability to throw. In chase games, children are expected to run forwards while glancing backwards occasionally to keep an eye on the chaser.

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