According to the beliefs the 2 nd of February is the day of spring predictions. If the bear comes out of its den on this day and it sees its shadow, it returns in and continues sleeping, because winter will be long. But in case of cloudy weather, the bear stays outside, since spring is shortly coming. We will be waiting for spring this month, so this is why we collected some active games for this month that kids will love and enjoy.

Let’s begin with bears!

• Move like a bear
  Let’s act like bears: walk with outstretched legs, crawl with outstretched arms, and build an obstacle course where bears can climb.
•  Hide and seek
  Finally we can use the winter time and play hide and seek. Let’s build a cave for the bear and play with the light switch. If the sun shines (the light is on), the bear shall run back into its cave. If it’s dark and the light is off, the bear can come out. You can speed up a little bit, as well and give tasks for the
  bear (for example: collecting all of the red objects from the cave.)
• Bear hunt
  Look, here’s a bridge! – patting the legs (right hand – left hand – right hand etc.)
  Let’s cross it! – patting the chest (right hand – left hand – right hand etc.)
  Look, here’s a lake! – patting the legs
  Let’s swim through it! – swimming movements
  Look, here’s a bog – patting the legs
  Let’s go through it! – squelch and acting with your hands like stepping though the bog
  Look, here’s a mountain! – patting the legs
  Let’s climb it! – gasping and movements of climbing a rope
  Look, here’s a cave! – patting the legs
  Let’s go inside! – sneaking inside
  Oh, I touched something! – like you catch a ball
  This is a bear! – with a scared voice
  Let’s run!
  At the end let’s do the whole movement the other way around: sneaking out, gasping – climbing a rope, squelch and bug, swimming, patting the chest and at the end say wearily and relieved: AHHH, WE HAVE ESCAPED!

This month’s other topic is carnival. Carnival is known for folk games, balls, entertainment. We think that this year we need more fun; this is why we will do everything to spend this month happily. Carnival week brings theme days and costumes for the families in the Downtown Community Center. Let’s dress up like animals, heroes from tales and wear our pyjamas. And you can also taste delicious doughnuts in our family-friendly café.

Till then let us suggest some games to get the carnival feeling.

• Blow balloons
  You can use your mouth and blow as hard as you can to keep the balloons in the air without touching them with your arms or your feet.
• Clown from balloon
  Draw a face for the balloon; glue some hair for it from yarn or crepe paper.

The team of the Forest Tale Daycare

This article is translated by Emese Murin.
Click here for the Hungarian version.