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How to Make a Carnival Game for 3-4 Year Olds

Step right up to the greatest carnival in the neighborhood! The key to a fun and exciting carnival is to make it colorful and lively while keeping it simple enough to delight preschoolers. Assemble six of the most fun games using household supplies and have fun testing them out. Plan your guest list and send out invitations, enclosing carnival tickets. The morning of the event, set up a table for popcorn and drinks. Play some vibrant music to welcome your guests in to the carnival.

Things You'll Need

  • Posterboard
  • Markers, glitter, pom pons
  • Bean bags
  • Small buckets or large bowls
  • Large Pixie Sticks
  • Yarn
  • Magnets
  • Clothespins
  • Large glass jar
  • Plain donuts
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Instructions

    • 1

      Make or purchase bean bags for a bean bag toss game as suggested by Everyday Preschool. Draw a large funny clown face and cut a hole out where the clown's mouth should be. Make it at least twice the size of the bean bag and test it out to make sure it is easy enough for a preschooler to shoot and score points.

    • 2
      Paint on clown faces.

      Set up a "face painting and clown hat station," advises School Carnivals To Go. Have a display board with a few simple clown faces for the children to choose from. Have an adult assigned to paint faces with washable face paints. Set out poster board in precut cone hat shapes. Let children color them in with washable markers and decorate with glitter and pompoms.

    • 3
      Have a donut on a string contest.

      Hang donuts on a string low enough so the small children can reach with their mouths. Instruct them to place their hands behind their backs and eat the donuts on the string. Have a contest with a few children at a time or offer a prize for eating half of the donut without it falling to the ground.

    • 4

      Decorate a glass jar for the clothespin game. Have child stand in front of jar. Show him how to hold the clothespins by his nose one at a time and try to drop them into the jar. Select a certain number to earn a prize or make every player a winner.

    • 5

      Attach yarn onto the end of a long pixie stick. Attach a magnet on the end of the yarn. Glue more magnets on colorful fish cutouts. Have the child use his fishing pole to catch a fish from the make believe pond. The child can take his pixie stick pole home for a special treat.

Childrens Theater

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