Fun Playground Games For The Festive Season
Updated on: December 7, 2023
One of the best things about playground markings is that they can be used by anyone throughout the year. With Christmas fast approaching, a little creative thinking can turn your playground markings into fun playground games for the festive season.
What better way to make use of all that festive energy than to get the children outside and engaged in energetic activity?
Why Playground Games Are So Beneficial
Better Health
As the NHS reminds us, children need to participate in vigorous daily exercise in every season.
In fact, we should make an extra effort to get children active outside in the winter months because conditions like seasonal affective disorder (SAD), provide evidence that seasonal changes may affect our mood and behaviour.
An article in The Guardian highlights a number of studies which have found that seasonal changes could even impact our health.
Research by a range of psychiatrists indicates that a lack of daylight could affect our internal body clock, known as the circadian clock. The combination of a lack of sleep, daylight and other seasonal factors may make us more susceptible to certain illnesses.
Better Mood
Playground games give both children and staff the chance to release pent up energy, relax and have fun together.
Busy schedules mean there’s not a lot of time to bring everyone together to have fun so the holiday season is the perfect time to do this.
Better Relationships
Playing games together is a great way to break down barriers. As everyone talks and laughs freely, it’s easy for new friendships to form.
Playground games are also a brilliant opportunity for us to experience the benefits of positive relationships whilst recognising individual talents beyond academic abilities. As everyone cheers each other on and celebrates each effort, the feel-good factor will be high.
Between the relaxed setting, everyone’s improved mood and the boost to team spirit, fun outdoor playground games are guaranteed to leave everyone feeling happier and healthier.
It’s one of the things we love most about our job here at Fun & Active Playgrounds. As one of the UK’s leading playground marking companies, we’re proud to be helping children lead happier and healthier lives.
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Our passion is to create playground markings that are innovative, educational, and fun so don’t worry if you’re feeling a bit short of creativity at the moment! We’ve got lots of brilliant ideas for fun playground games for the festive season.
Here’s our top picks for outdoor playground games children will enjoy this season.
Fun Playground Games For The Festive Season
Santa’s Helper
Our maths target board playground markings are an ideal way to take a break from the Christmas maths printables and get children outside.
Target board playground markings can be used in a number of ways to build children’s core maths skills.
Maths target boards have long been a popular way to make maths learning fun. Our target board playground markings let you take the enjoyment into an outdoor setting for outdoor maths activities as well as playtimes.
Target boards work perfectly with calculations for any operation and our maths target board playground markings can be custom designed for any range of numbers you choose.
Christmas Maths Playground Game
For a festive maths playground game, tell the children Santa needs help to find different ways to give each child 25 presents.
Get the children to work in twos or threes. Each group must throw one beanbag onto the outer circle and another on the inner circle, write the numbers down then add them together.
The first group to find 5 different ways to make 25 presents is the winner. The winning group will need to present their findings and learning to the rest of the group using their whiteboards.
See maths target board playground markings
Santa Says
Give the much-loved traditional playground game of Simon Says a contemporary, festive spin with our Mirror Me playground marking.
Our Mirror Me playground marking draws on children’s love of dance mats and WWII games. The fun and creative game provides daily inspiration for an energetic activity which holds appeal for every child.
Dance and movement requires no special physical skill yet the benefits are many.
From balance to co-ordination, fine and gross motor skills and problem-solving, the Mirror Me playground marking can provide a brilliant cardio workout children can use daily.
Turn the activity into a fun festive game by swapping Simon Says for Santa Says then give each movement a festive spin.
See dance and movement playground markings
Santa’s List
We know fun contexts make it much more likely that the brain will retain information so why not take phonics or spellings learning outside this season?
Our colourful letter playground markings are ideal for outdoor phonics and spelling sessions as well as playtimes.
The opportunity for children to move around as they learn in a relaxed environment makes letter playground markings a brilliant way to support a range of learning styles.
Christmas Phonics Playground Game
For a festive playground game for phonics or spelling take a group of children outside to the marking. Tell children they have to run to each letter to spell each item on Santa’s list.
As you read each item from Santa’s list, children must jog to each letter to sound out the word. As pupils get to each letter, they must say it out loud then write it down.
Sound out and spell each item together to check each time.
See letter school playground markings
Santa’s Sleigh
Our playground markings come in a wide range of shapes and designs.
A spiral marking, such as the Spiral A-Z playground marking, is a great way to help children build balance, co-ordination, gross and fine motor skills, and problem-skills.
The spiral shape draws on children’s natural curiosity whilst the challenge of navigating the decreasing circles builds a range of physical and cognitive skills.
Use the Spiral A-Z playground marking to create a fun festive school playground game for phonics or spelling.
Christmas Phonics Playground Game For Children
Tell the group of children the spiral is Santa’s route for Christmas Eve. Each child must take it in turns to roll the dice to move the sleigh along.
Move around the spiral as a group, trotting along on tiptoe for good muscle development and a bit of festive fun!
Stop on the correct letter after each roll of the dice. Each child must come up with the name of a present Santa can drop off for any member of the family (or the Christmas dinner) which begins with that letter.
To add another layer of challenge for KS2 or more able KS1, get children to write their idea on a whiteboard each time too.
Share ideas together before the next child rolls the dice.
See our full collection of fun playground games for children.
Jess Sparks
Jess is deeply committed to supporting our mission of positively impacting UK outdoor play environments to promote healthy lifestyles in children.
With a CIM Level 6 Diploma in Sustainable Marketing, Jess channels her passion for sustainability into her marketing role, using her skills to promote eco-conscious practices and raise awareness for our initiatives.
Jess’ experience within the industry is instrumental in driving engagement and supporting connections with those who require ultra-durable, high-grade playground markings both locally and internationally.
