Step outside and let the adventure begin! Engaging in outdoor activities provides children with the ideal combination of entertainment, physical activity, and creativity. Outdoor play can range from basic favorites like tag and hide-and-seek to new challenges like treasure hunts and obstacle courses.
The options are limitless. Encourage teamwork, inspire inspiration, and allow children’s imaginations to fly as they explore the outdoors. Whether it’s a sunny day at the park or a backyard excursion, these outdoor activities for kids will provide hours of laughter and excitement. Prepare to create wonderful experiences and revel in the thrill of outdoor play!
1. SPUD
Parents might recall SPUD from their childhood! To begin, select someone as “It” for the first round. This child throws a ball high into the air and calls out another player’s name. Everyone flees save the called player, who must attempt to catch the ball as soon as possible.
Once they have the ball, they cry “SPUD!” and everyone freezes. They then toss the ball at someone else. If the ball makes contact, that person receives a “S” and is the next “It.” The first person to get the entire set of letters (S-P-U-D) loses the game.
2. Hopscotch
Looking for solo outdoor games for children? Get out the colored chalk and assist your youngster in drawing a large hopscotch path of ten squares, each in a vertical line except for the fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth, which are drawn side by side in two pairs. Each square receives a number ranging from 1 to 10.
Toss a beanbag or other marker into one of the squares. That is the one to skip as you make your way through the course and back again. Increase the fun by exchanging typical hopscotch square forms with cars, butterflies, fish, and other fascinating designs. Timing your kids as they race through the course will add an extra challenge.
3. Disc Golf Games
Hang a hoop from a branch or clothesline to create a homemade version of disc golf, then grab a Frisbee and try these variations on the game.
D-I-S-C: The game is identical to H-O-R-S-E in basketball. One player throws a disc through the hoop, and the others must match the shot or earn a letter; the last person to spell D-I-S-C wins.
Disc Baseball: Set up four bases (cardboard squares work well) and a home plate near the hoop. Players begin at home and progress around the diamond, shooting from each base. Three “strikes” (misses) and you are out. Complete the circuit to get a run and another turn (three strikes).
Obstacle disc golf: Beginning and concluding with a disc shot through the hoop, participants race to accomplish a series of challenges (such as jumping rope 25 times or kicking a soccer ball into a net). Keep track of time; the fastest player will win.
4. Backyard Obstacle Course
You may create a set of obstacles just the correct size for your children using resources you already have on hand. Jumping over and crawling over the hurdles can increase your children’s agility. Relay races or competitions make great outdoor party games!
5. Red Rover
Have a lot of tiny ones to entertain? Consider Red Rover. Divide participants into two teams. Each team must form a line with their palms facing the opposite team, spaced about 20 feet apart.
Someone from Team One calls out, “Red Rover, Red Rover, let (child’s name from Team Two) come over!” The designated player dashes towards Team One, attempting to break through a pair of held hands.
If the player breaks the chain, they can recruit a member from Team One to Team Two. If not, they should join the opposite team. Teams take shifts until one person is left standing alone.
6. Four Square
Once you have four or more participants, draw a 12′ × 12′ square on cement and divide it into four smaller squares (labeled A, B, C, and D). One player will stand in each square, facing the other.
Player “A” (the server) bounces a rubber ball in their allotted square before swatting it into another square with open hands. The ball must bounce within another player’s square. That player must strike the ball into yet another square without allowing it to bounce again.
When a player misses the ball, holds it, allows it to bounce too many times, or hits it out of bounds, they move to D (or to the back of the line to wait for their turn). The players behind them advance, and the game restarts. The goal is to become and remain a server.
7. Hungry Snake
This outdoor game requires nothing more than a jump rope. Have the students form a circle with one person (the Snake) in the center. The Snake spins around while clutching the jump rope, which moves in a circular pattern from the center of the circle.
The other players must hop over the rope as it approaches—if it touches (bites) them, they are eliminated. To add to the fun on a hot day, each player can hold a cup of water while playing.
8. Backyard Bowling
Encourage your kids to create a makeshift bowling alley out of cans or bottles. They can take turns rolling a semi-heavy ball to the pins. See how many times it takes to knock them all down. Increase the difficulty by pushing the starting line further away from the pins.
9. Fitness Dice
A set of homemade movement dice can help your children’s fitness regimen get off to a good start. To build a pair, seal the edges and sides of two small, cube-shaped boxes with duct tape.
Use a permanent marker to write numbers on one die (no more than 10) and various gestures (“Hop on one foot” or “Spin around,” for example) on the other. Players take turns rolling the dice, and then performing the movement for the number of times indicated.
10. Monkey in the Middle
This simple outdoor game for youngsters is best played with three or more participants. The “Monkey” begins in the middle of the other players, who are throwing balls back and forth to one another. To win, the Monkey must intercept and grab the ball, and whoever throws the losing ball becomes the next Monkey!
Read more:
- Discover 12 Fun Family Activities to Do at Home This Weekend
- Here Are 5 Fun Activities to Do on a Weekend With Kids
Final Words
Get ready to have a great time outside with these fun games! There is something fun for every kid, from old favorites like SPUD and hopscotch to new ideas like disc golf and obstacle courses. Whether you’re racing through an obstacle course in your garden or getting good at fitness dice, these games will keep you laughing and having fun for hours.
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