Because preschool children can't read or write yet, music and expression through other avenues is very important. Playing games with their favorite tunes is a great way to teach simple concepts like colors or the alphabet. Musical seating is an easy game for preschool kids of all ability levels. The children dance as the music plays and when it stops, they must sit down wherever they are. The last person to sit down is out. It is safer than musical chairs because they aren't physically fighting for a seat and it allows for a great range of movement when they aren't circling around a central point. Musical Seating is fun for preschool because they are allowed to move and use their energy, and they're also following directions and having fun.
Find it games are excellent for smaller groups of children in the classroom. Play 20 Questions or Hot-or-Cold to help children work as a team to complete a task. Twenty Questions starts by someone playing "It" and finding an object in the room. "It" doesn't tell anyone what the object is and the group must ask yes or no questions to find out what the object is the leader has selected. After asking 20 questions, the children must guess the object. Whoever guesses correctly gets to play "It" in the next game. Hot-or-Cold requires slightly more preparation. Have an easy object like a ball to hand and hide it carefully somewhere in the classroom while the kids are having a bathroom break or eating lunch. When they look for the item, if they are close to the object, they are "hot" or if they are far from finding it, they are "cold." These games can be played in small groups while the rest look on, or you can organize the children into teams to take turns.
Build a Monster is a game which requires lots of imagination and teamwork. Start by dividing the classroom into teams of three or four students. Give each group a selection of crayons or colored pencils and a large sheet of white paper. The game is played by each member of the group drawing one part of the monster or creature. The first person draws the head, the next draws the face, the next player draws a body and arms, and the final person can draw the legs and feet. Children love the silly creations and using their artistic side to make funny monsters. You can also dictate which colors they must use or how many fingers or ears the monster must have. This teaches children that sitting and listening to directions can be fun.
Safe movement games are perfect for rainy days because preschoolers can get rid of some energy in a productive way. Play drama-inspired games to get kids' creative juices flowing and allow them to move around the classroom. A game like charades can be played in a large group or in teams. Put pictures of animals or emotions on cards and have the child draw a card. They must act out the animal or emotion and the rest of the class must guess the answer. The person who gets it right, gets to act out the next card.