Using games to learn shapes will get children actively involved in the learning process. Play a triangle game by placing three sticks that are all the same length in front of the children. Tell them that the triangle is broken and have the students "fix" the triangle by assembling the sticks in the shape of a triangle. Play a circle song game with the kindergartners. As your draw a circle in the air in front of your face with one finger sing, "A circle, a circle draw it round and fat." Then sing "A circle, a circle draw it for a hat" while drawing a circle in the air above your head. Repeat the first verse and action. Then sing, "Draw it just for me" while drawing the circle in front of yourself again. Then say with excitement, "Now jump and count to three: One! Two! Three!" Students will enjoy the active participation in this game.
A great way to work on name recognition at the beginning of the kindergarten school year is by playing a parachute game. Begin by spreading out the parachute and directing the children to gather around it, gripping a section with their hands.The teacher will sing "up,up, up it goes" as the children raise the parachute and "down, down, down it comes" as they lower the chute. As the students raise the chute again the teacher will sing "If your name is John (insert children's names) now is your turn to run." As the teacher calls upon each child, that child will run under the parachute and try to reach the other side before the chute comes back down.
Use bean bags to teach kindergarten students about predictions. Select a bean bag with a different color on each side such as red and blue. Record the number of students who think the bean bag will land on red and the number of students who think it will land on blue. Toss the bean bag up in to the air and see what side faces up.
This game is a great way to test large motor skills. Supply the class different types of smaller balls, scattered around the floor. Place empty baskets around the room for each team. Break the class up into two teams and show each team which basket is theirs. Instruct the students to use only their feet to gather the balls and place them into their designated team basket. They can scoot around the room on their bottoms using both feet to capture a ball and scoot over to their basket.
Create a bean bag toss to teach kindergartners recognition and how to follow directions. Place several types of open containers within reach of the children and give them clues as to which container you are instructing them to toss the beanbag into. The child should first tell the teacher which container she is describing then toss the bag into that container.