Materials

• 5 to 8 plastic bottles
• A ball
• A printout of "Faces"
• Pair of scissors
• Glue
• Brushes and paints (optional)

Procedure

This free and easy bowling game will keep your kids moving indoors during a cold or rainy day. They can have fun knocking down the pins and it is great for their motor skills.

Find some empty plastic water bottles and set them up at the end of the hall or against a wall, aim and bowl. Your toddler can cut and glue the printed "faces". Younger kids can use a larger ball while older children can use a small one. Pick a number of rounds to play (usually ten). Whoever has the the highest score at the end of the last round wins!

When they knock down a pin you can discuss about the corresponding feeling or emotion.

Helping children to identify and label emotions is an important first step. Many preschoolers do not yet have the vocabulary to identify feelings with words like angry or frustrated, or the skills to “read” facial cues or to interpret body language. Adults support children’s social-emotional development when they label and talk about emotions.