Neighborhood Games For Kids

OKEMOS, Mich. – This Michigan summer has been beautiful! Now is the time to have kids enjoy the outdoors with their friends and neighbors. If you hear the words “I’m bored” then introduce these three great neighborhood games for kids. Each game is perfect for large groups and requires a lot of running. By playing with a wide variety of kids, your children learn teamwork, problem solving, and develop their social skills. Each game only requires a big a space and participation, so they can be played anytime! At Graff Chevrolet Okemos we care about our young passengers and the time they get to enjoy their summer, and that means thinking about their safety on the road. That is why we also provided more information below on the safety features of the new 2016 Chevrolet Traverse at our dealership. So get everyone together and enjoy these great neighborhood games for kids!

Red Rover
This outdoor classic requires quite a bit of kids but can be fun once it gets going. The group will divide into two teams, A and B, with equal amounts of people in each team. They will line up facing each other, with a large amount of space separating them. Everyone must join hands. Team A will yell “red rover, red rover, send (insert name) on over!” The player from team B will then run as fast as they can to the other side. The object of the game is to break though the joined hands of the other team. If the player does break through, someone from team A must go back to team B with the player called. If that player does NOT break through, they must join team A. The teams will rotate calling for players.

Red Light Green Light
The racing game with a twist! This game does not require a large group, but the more the merrier! Everyone lines up side-by-side. Then one person, who is the announcer, will go to the opposite end of the yard, or wherever you are playing (Note: if playing with fast runners the wider space the better). The announcer on the opposite end will yell “Green light!” and the group will start running towards them. During this time that person can yell “red light” and then “green light” whenever they please. Players will stop on “red” and run on “green”. The object of the game is to get past the announcer. The last person to cross will be out. You continue playing until one person is standing. That last person will be the next announcer.

Freeze Tag
The game of tag that can keep going and going. Freeze tag is a classic version of the game we love so much. In this game the person who is “it” will tag runners as usual. The difference? If you are tagged you freeze in place. Being frozen doesn’t mean you are out of the game. Other runners can run past you and tag you to unfreeze. So how does the game end? If the person has everyone frozen, then they get to pick the next person to be “it”. 

  

Now that you have some ideas on how to get the young ones outside, have them stretch their legs with our fun neighborhood games for kids! Safety is always important and at Graff Chevrolet Okemos we recommend parent supervision when playing these games or any time your kids are outside running around. When it comes to safety for a large group we also recommend the 2016 Chevrolet Traverse. This Chevy SUV offers top safety features including OnStar connectivity, Lane Departure Warning, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, Forward Collision Alert, and Side Blind Zone Alert. Now you can keep all of your littlest passengers safe in Chevrolet’s “Best Family Car of 2014”! Contact our dealership and schedule your test drive today.

Not only do we sell safe vehicles, but at Graff Chevrolet Okemos we want your current vehicle to drive safe as well. That is why we put together our Summer Car Care section on our website. Our Summer Car Care discusses seasonal maintenance on your vehicle’s external lights, fuel system, A/C system, and cooling system so your vehicle runs properly during the summer months. It also covers different ways to protect your car, truck, SUV, or crossover from sun damage and offers different repair tips to cosmetic damages that you can work on which may be affecting your vehicle. If you are ready to get your current car in summer condition then contact the Graff Chevrolet Okemos Service Center to schedule your service appointment.

Hank Graff Chevrolet Okemos is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you – simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

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Driving Tips to Keep Neighborhood Streets Safe on Halloween

OKEMOS, Mich. –– Halloween might give some people the jitters, but for parents the most frightening thought that creeps through their minds is whether or not their trick-or-treating kids are safe. There are plenty of trick-or-treating safety tips parents should give their kids on Halloween, but families aren’t the only people who need to follow a few guidelines to prevent hazardous situations from occurring.

It’s also important for drivers to follow a few road rules to keep neighborhoods safe on this ghostly night. If you’re planning on getting behind the wheel on Oct. 31, follow these driving tips to keep neighborhood streets safe on Halloween night.

If possible, avoid driving in residential areas.

From a driver’s perspective, kids are difficult to spot on Halloween as they trick-or-treat from door-to-door and haphazardly sprint across streets. For some, driving on Halloween is inevitable, but unless you truly have some place to be we recommend not driving on residential streets during trick-or-treating time frames.

Drive slowly through neighborhoods.

Again, as drivers navigate neighborhoods on Halloween, it can be difficult for them to see kids who are out trick-or-treating. The safest way to drive through a neighborhood on Halloween is to drive slowly. Maintaining low speeds will give you time to become aware of your surroundings, and could give you that extra second you need to stop for a group of jaywalking kids.

Shine your brights on dark streets.

Shining your brights while driving on dark streets is another way you can keep neighborhoods safe on Halloween. It’s already difficult to see kids in dark costumes trick-or-treating along even on well-lit streets, so you can imagine how much more difficult it would be to see them on streets where the only sources of light are candles inside pumpkins. Shining your brights while in driving these areas will provide a much broader illuminated scope and give you better awareness.

Come to a full stop at stop signs.

We all need to admit we sometimes roll through a stop sign, though we don’t condone it. However, on Halloween you should seriously follow the law and come to complete stops at stop signs. Rolling through stop signs prevents you from thoroughly checking your surroundings. Coming to complete stops will give you time to look for kids crossing the street to continue their trick-or-treating.

Yield at all intersections.

Even if an intersection doesn’t require you to stop or yield, we recommend that drivers still reduce their speed and allow themselves ample time to scout their surroundings. Kids are hyped up about trick-or-treating on Halloween and tend not to observe the same pedestrian guidelines they normally would, such as stopping at intersections to look for cars. As an adult and a driver, it’s your job to secure kids’ and your own safety by staying aware, even when there aren’t any signs telling you to.

Driving on Halloween night is risky. Kids are out trick-or-treating and more than likely aren't paying attention to a set of headlights coming towards them from a block away. If you have to head out for a personal reason on Oct. 31, follow these driving tips to keep neighborhood streets safe on Halloween. 

Our used car dealership near East Lansing, MI, is committed to providing you with integrity and convenience, all close to home. Let our friendly team of Chevy professionals at Hank Graff Okemos help you find a used car––simply call us at (517) 349-8300 or visit our showroom, located at 1748 W. Grand River Okemos, MI 48864. We’re just minutes from Lansing!

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