Most schoolyard games are free and enjoyed by children of all ages. Hopscotch is an old playground game that can teach preschoolers about numbers and help with coordinated movements like hopping and bending over. Games like Simon Says or Mother-May-I can teach the importance of listening and following directions. Duck Duck Goose, Tag and foot races are other fun free games for preschoolers, offering the added benefit of providing physical activity.
Many children's websites offer free games to play. Checking your favorite television channel's website will generally yield a handful of free games or preschool activities. These games have the benefit of being educational as well, teaching things like letters, matching and counting all while the child is playing with his favorite character. Other websites offer blank coloring pages with themes like dinosaurs, food, princesses and even paper dolls that can keep kids entertained for hours.
Creating stories allows preschoolers to expand their imaginations. Taking turns making up parts of the story teaches the concept of taking turns and hones listening skills. Shadow puppets are another fun option to showcase creativity, and all you need is a light source, a dark room and a free wall. Charades is another fun, free game that can be played by children as young as preschool.
Create color flash cards from paint swatches at a home improvement store. Gather pairs of swatches in the same colors to create a Go Fish or a Memory game using colors rather than images. Color swatches can also be cut into shapes or written on with letters or numbers to help teach various lessons. I Spy is another fun game for preschoolers learning their colors. You can also create homemade Bingo cards to help teach both numbers and letters to preschoolers.