Make a lesson in geography fun for fourth graders with a balloon game. Begin the lesson by reviewing geographic locations that they have learned in class, for example, bodies of water, continents or countries. Blow up a balloon and ask all the children to stand up and form a circle in the classroom or outside. Instruct the kids to toss the balloon back and forth in the circle without letting it touch the ground. Every time a child hits the balloon, he yells a new geography term. If a student cannot think of a new term when she hits the balloon or she repeats one, then she must sit down. The game continues until one student is left standing.
A math card game allows kids to practice basic addition and subtraction skills with a deck of cards. Divide the class into groups of two or three and give each group a deck of cards (remove all face cards and jokers). Instruct the kids to deal five cards and place them face up on the table in front of them. Deal a sixth card and place it apart from the other cards -- this is the "answer card." The object of the game is for the kids to try and create addition and subtraction equations that equal the number on the answer card. Give them five to 10 minutes to write down their equations. The student with the greatest amount of correct equations wins the game.
This variation of bean bag toss is an ideal activity to play with fourth graders during the first week of school so they can get to know their new classmates. Ask kids to stand an arm's length apart in a circle in the classroom or outside if the weather is nice. Give the kids a bean bag to toss around the circle to the person standing next to them. For the first round, ask the kids to say their names when they receive the bean bag. For the second round, they say their favorite color and for the third round, they say their favorite food. Ask for a volunteer to try to repeat as much of the information about her classmates as she can. Award the student who remembered the most about the other kids with a small prize.
Build confidence and teamwork skills in your fourth graders with a game of trust. Set up an obstacle course in a wide open area like a gym or a field using stuffed animals, large plastic containers and blocks. Divide the class into teams of two and select one child in each team to be blindfolded. Instruct the children to lead their blindfolded partners through the obstacle course using only verbal communication. Only allow one or two teams to go through the obstacle course at once to prevent kids from bumping into each other.