Brain Builders: Sleeping Animals Game

by Heather Davis, MCM Early Learning Manager

Stuck inside and need to burn off some energy? Try the Sleeping Animals Game! Practice listening skills and engage in both pretend and active play! 

Make your own game die, or make up animals to pretend to be as you go! 

To make a game die: 

1. Use two ends of a rectangular box to make a cube (a 12-pack of soda works well)
2. Cut paper pieces approximately the size of each side
3. Choose five animals that move differently: loud and quiet, crawling and galloping and slithering, etc. 
4. Draw and write the names of each animal on the pieces of paper (this is a natural and engaging ray to practice writing skills!) and attach them to the cube.

How to play: 

1. Game master says “GO TO SLEEP.” 
2. Kids fall wherever they are in the room and “go to sleep.” (This is a bonus exercise in listening skills and body control!) 
3. Roll the die or choose an animal to be upon waking. “Wake up puppies! (Zebras, crabs, elephants, etc.) 
4. Move and sound like that animal. 
5. What else can that animal do? What do you feed them?
6. “Go to sleep” and pick/roll a new animal.
7. Always end with a couple animals that move slowly and quietly. 

This activity is a brain builder on several levels. Creating the die and drawing the animals and writing their names works on fine motor skills, as well as language and artistic skill. Becoming the different animals and particularly “going to sleep” on command helps with body control. And playing pretend in general helps kids develop their imaginations and abilities to empathize and see the world from another perspective.

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Brain Builders is part of MCM at Home. Follow us on social media for more tips, games, crafts, and ideas to learn through play at home.

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