Top 16 Educational Games for Preschoolers

This is one of the games aimed at reinforcing knowledge of basic shapes while introducing math to children.

Purpose: Help children remember the names of basic geometric shapes such as (circle, square, triangle, rectangle). Develop observation skills and quick reflexes in children.

Preparation: The teacher draws basic geometric shapes such as: circle, square, triangle, rectangle.

Rules: Walk into the correct shape according to the teacher's instructions. Anyone who makes a mistake must go back and give the turn to the opposing team. The team that runs out of players first wins.

How to play: Divide the children into teams (before playing, the teacher can have the children draw lots or play rock-paper-scissors to determine the order of play). When the teacher mentions the name of a shape, the children must walk into that shape (e.g., if the teacher says square, the children must walk into the square, if the teacher says rectangle, the children must walk into the rectangle), if they step into the wrong shape, they must give the turn to the opposing team and vice versa. At the end of the round, the team that runs out of players first wins.

Purpose: Provide and help children remember the knowledge of the current topic in a more synthesized way. Stimulate curiosity and the desire to learn in children.

Preparation: A grassy board with pathways created by the teacher leading to each house. Three identical houses are placed on that board. Inside each house are different images, and one of the three houses has an image matching the one outside (e.g., in the theme 'Animals,' the teacher places a house with an image of a chicken, a house with an image of a cat, a house with an image of a rabbit, and an image of a cat using toys outside the house).

How to Play: Open the door of each house in turn to check if it is the right house. When the door is opened, revealing an image, the child will perform a gesture or sing a song corresponding to that image.

Note: When arranging the houses, the teacher should place the house to be found in the last position. This game can be applied to activities where children become familiar with music and the surrounding environment. When having children perform based on the images, the teacher can let each child express individually or have groups of children perform. During the game, those who perform well will be rewarded to encourage children to participate.

This is a game applied to activities exploring the surrounding environment in various topics such as animals, professions, and modes of transportation. It is also used in music activities related to themes like plants and certain professions.

Purpose: To reinforce and review some knowledge related to the current topic the children are learning.

Preparation: Three houses with three differently colored doors (green, red, and yellow). Inside each house will be images or objects related to the lesson or topic the children are studying.

For a topic like professions, the teacher may place an image of a doctor behind the yellow door, an image of a soldier behind the red door, and an image or tools of a farmer behind the green door.

How to Play: Children choose a door as they wish. When the door is opened, revealing an image or object, the teacher asks the child to perform a song or action related to that image. (Example: If a child chooses to open the green door and finds an image of a farmer, the teacher may ask the child to sing a song about farming or perform some actions related to a farmer). If done well, the child will receive a reward.

Note: When organizing this game, the teacher can have the entire class play together or organize it by groups or individually.

This game aims to reinforce children's knowledge of the trees planted in the schoolyard. It enhances their quick orientation and running skills. Moreover, through this educational game for preschoolers, children have the opportunity to develop their language skills.

Preparation: Let children observe the trees in the schoolyard during outdoor activities.

How to Play: Play it with the whole class in the schoolyard.

The teacher suggests that children quickly observe the trees in the schoolyard and recall the characteristics of the trees through previous observations. Then, the teacher says to the children: Today, we will play the game 'Guess the Tree.' I will describe the characteristics of a tree. Focus and think about which tree it is. When I say, 'One, two, three. Find the tree, find the tree,' children run quickly to the tree and say what tree it is. Anyone who runs to the wrong tree will be penalized with a frog jump.

Preparation: Prepare 5-7 strings with well-tied knots for children to touch and identify the number of knots. Blindfold, drum.

How to Play:

During the game, children are not allowed to look; they can only use their hands to count. Children play in teams, and after blindfolding, the facilitator hands each child a string with several knots. The children use their hands to feel and count the knots on their string. When signaled, the teams start counting to see who can count the knots faster.

The teacher prepares pots of daisies, roses, orchids, apricot blossoms, and a model with a house. The teacher lets the children observe the model and names the types of flowers in the model. Then, the teacher asks the children to place the flowers in positions, front, back, right, and left of the house (the house is in the middle). During the game, the children close their eyes, and the teacher changes the positions of the flower pots. The children open their eyes and must say what has changed and how. The teacher then instructs the children to rearrange everything as it was before.

The teacher prepares at least 2 pictures for each child, gradually increasing the number of pictures in each round. Each picture has different colors and sizes. Children pick the correct pictures according to the teacher's command. When the teacher requests, the children raise and name the chosen pictures. Then, without allowing the children to see the pictures, they close their eyes and try to identify and raise the correct picture.

Requirements: Ground surface, chalk for drawing, stones.

How to play:

• The game board is drawn into a rectangle and divided into a 5×2 grid.
• On the two wide edges, draw two crescent moons with a diameter equal to the width of the board.
• The square cells are civilian cells, and the crescent moon cells are the designated eating cells.
• The game pieces consist of 2 designated pieces placed on the crescent moon cells and 50 civilian pieces evenly distributed, 5 pieces in each of the 10 civilian cells.
• Each player strategically places their pieces and calculates moves to eat as many opponent pieces as possible.
• The player who eats the most pieces wins.

Requirements: Group of children, 10 stones.

How to play:

• Play rock-paper-scissors to determine the starting player.
• The player picks up 10 stones and drops them on the ground.
• Then, interlace all 10 fingers and extend only two fingers to form crab claws.
• Players take turns using the two fingers to grab each stone without touching other stones.
• Keep grabbing until all the stones are taken.
• Count the number of stones each player successfully grabbed.
• If a player accidentally touches another person while grabbing a stone, they must pass the turn to the next player.
• The one with the most stones grabbed is the winner.

Content: Expose children to various flying animals to help them grasp the characteristics of each animal. Use a playing situation to aid children in recognizing and differentiating the features of each animal.

Game Rules: Children select animals according to the given requirements, call out the names of the chosen animals, and place them in the correct categories for each type of animal.

Preparation: Provide each child with a basket containing pictures of various flying animals, some animals made of foam (swallow, bat, stork, crow), cassette player, tape featuring sounds of flying animals, and three nests representing different types of birds made of straw and garbage.

Procedure: Present each flying animal to the children one by one. Allow them to observe and ask prompting questions for the children to answer. Emphasize the specific features, functions, and benefits of each animal. Highlight that these animals usually live in high-altitude areas.

This game can be played anytime, anywhere, and teaching counting on hands is also effective. It's a traditional game for two players.

Objects represented by hands:

• Hammer: Clasp all fingers together
• Scissors: Clasp 3 fingers including the thumb, index, and middle fingers, and extend the remaining 2 fingers
• Bag: Spread all 5 fingers wide

How to play: Hammer smashes Scissors, Scissors cut Bag, and Bag wraps Hammer. In both players' synchronized move, the chant is 'Uýnh Sình Sầm, what comes out is this thing.' When finishing the chant, both players reveal their hands simultaneously without any predetermined order. Winning or losing is determined by the rules. If both players show the same sign, they play again.

Purpose: Teach children to count in order.

Preparation: Spacious and airy playground.

Procedure: Children play in groups of 2 or more.

Children take turns tightly holding hands and stacking them on top of each other. Then, the children recite a nursery rhyme together. One child uses a finger to point from top to bottom at the end of the nursery rhyme, touching whoever's hand the finger lands on. That person has to pull their hand back. After each round, the children count the remaining hands and continue playing.

Purpose: Develop a complete understanding of sky-dwelling animals (Swallows, Swifts, Moths, etc.) through game situations to help children recognize and differentiate these animals.

Content: Expose children to various animals to understand their characteristics, names, and benefits.

Game Rules: Children will know the names, characteristics, and benefits of animals (swallows, moths, swifts, herons, etc.). Develop skills by drawing these animals and display the products.

Procedure:

Preparation: The teacher prepares three paintings of sky-dwelling animals associated with different scenes (such as the sea, islands, drawing a Heron...). Each child has 2 A4-sized drawing papers, pencils, crayons, enough tables and chairs for the children to sit, 2 display stands for each child, each stand displays some bingo paintings of drawn animals.

Procedure: The teacher gathers the children, sings the song 'Spring Swallow,' and discusses some sky-dwelling animals. Organize the children into 3 rows, and the teacher presents paintings of various animals for the children to observe, introducing names, characteristics, and benefits of each by asking questions and giving hints for the children to grasp and answer individually or collectively after recognizing the similarities and differences between the animals.

The teacher explains the rules of the game:

When hearing a riddle and the sound of which animal, the child correctly selects that animal by holding up the bingo painting, stating the name and characteristics of that animal. Then, the teacher allows the children to the tables, and they compete to 'draw sky-dwelling animals.' The one with skilled hands, drawing many animals and analyzing them based on the groups of sky-dwelling animals in different regions or their color structures, wins (the game duration is one music track).

Round 1: The teacher lets the children choose an animal according to her request.

Round 2: The teacher requires children to choose animals based on their characteristics, shapes, colors, and habitats.

Round 3: The teacher lets children choose sky-dwelling animals. Then, the children return to the tables, choose their drawing paper, pencil, crayons, draw themselves, and their friends. During the process, the teacher reminds and encourages the children, guiding them to hold the pen, sit posture, choose colors, arrange the picture layout, and group the animals accurately. At the end of the game, children hang their drawings, and they comment on each other's works, describing how they drew, what animal they drew, where it lives, and the characteristics of that animal. The teacher gives general comments, praises beautiful works, clear drawings, and correct animal grouping to commend the children.

Purpose:

• Reinforce the ability to recognize quantity and practice counting for children.
• Develop observation skills.
  

Preparation:

• Several plastic or cardboard trees and loose fruits.
• Number cards (Prepare according to the numbers children have learned).

Procedure:

• The teacher prepares 3 trees, divides each tree into small branches, and attaches number cards to the branches. Divide the children into 3 teams, playing in a 'relay race' format.
• Each child in the 3 teams has the task of crossing a narrow path on the table, picking up a fruit, and sticking it to each branch of their team's tree. The one running first will tap the next one's shoulder to continue playing. The playing time is 1 music track. The team that attaches quickly and correctly matches the number of fruits on the branches with the number cards the teacher has placed wins.
• After the children have finished attaching, the teacher comments:
  + What did you just do? (Attached fruits to the tree)
  + How did you do it? (Attached fruits to the branches of the tree according to the correct number in the number card).
• The teacher lets the children check the results and identify the winning team.

Purpose:

• Develop counting skills through auditory perception and counting movements.
• Recognize and differentiate animals through actions and sounds.

Preparation: Song 'Golden Fish Swimming'.

Procedure:

• The teacher and the children sing the song 'Golden Fish Swimming'.
• The children guess what the fish is doing.
• In the song, what actions does the fish perform? (After the children answer, the teacher shows pictures and points to each action of the fish. If
• the children cannot answer, the teacher shows the pictures first and points to each activity until naming them).
• In the song, the fish performs actions: swimming, jumping, diving, dancing (While counting, the teacher raises and counts fingers). There are a total of 4 actions.
• Now, as the teacher sings, whenever it comes to an action, the whole class does that action 5 times (children do as many times as they can count). When the children perform, the teacher counts the number of times they move.

Example: The teacher sings 'The golden fish swims in the water,' and the children perform the fish's swimming action as the teacher counts: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5.

Purpose: Teach children to count in order.

Preparation: Spacious and airy playground.

Procedure: Each player sits in a circle, placing both hands on the ground. When you start reading 'Potato Chip,' one person covers their hands with everyone's hands, and then everyone raises their hands. One person takes their hand and points to each hand, singing:

'Twelve propellers
One in a white shirt
One in a black shirt
One carrying a lantern
One holding a tube
Thrust out and thrust in
Someone falls into the well
Someone falls into the pit
Oops, oops!'

Singing to the last word, whoever the hand points to must thrust in. Then, the children count the remaining hands and continue playing.