Older preschool and early primary school-aged children become interested in more structured games; games with clearly defined rules. Children often choose to play these games during their leisure time at preschool, school or after school hours, with any number of friends.

Some types of games with rules include:

• board games and table top games
• games played in lines or circles
• games with balls, bats, marbles
• skipping rope games
• hopscotch
• cricket
• football

You can help support play with rules by ensuring all materials and equipment are in good order and readily available to children. Most play with rules requires space and clear rules of play.

Avoid competitive games where possible as they reduce children’s opportunity to practice skills. By changing games from competitive to non-competitive you are ensuring all children participate in some activity most of the time and that there is not a winning team or winning child.

One World for Children Acknowledgement of Country: Here is the land; Here is the sky; Here are my people and here am I. We give thanks to future, present and past; Ancestors and elders and the connection that lasts. We acknowledge the Wathaurong people on whose land we learn and play; We promise to look after it every day. ©