Additional co-curricular activities in the lives of kids are as important as their studies. Kids who are engaged in indoor and outdoor activities develop skills that assist them in developing abilities helpful in school and social-based interactions.
Apart from all this, outdoor games for kids also help them physically. Sometimes, all you need to have is a pack of outdoor activities for your kids to keep them engaged and have a good time with their friends.
Outdoor games for kids help in building cognitive abilities in them, besides adding a sense of mutual understanding and cooperation among their peers.
In this article, we have curated 34 similar high-purpose game ideas for kids that will keep them engaged without letting you worry much about the organization of any activities for them at any gathering. So, without causing much of a delay, let’s get started.
Best Interactive Outdoor Games for Kids
1. Traffic Light Setup
Make your kids and friends learn the functioning of traffic lights. Assign one player to be the ‘Traffic Light’ in the game and ask the rest to form a 20-foot-long line. This game proceeds in a fashion that when the player who is at a traffic light turns their back towards the other player, it reads “green light” while the other players start getting closer. In the same way, the traffic light can shout a red light at any point in the game to face another player. If any member in the game moves while the direction is red, they will have to start all over again from where they began.
2. Do Not Drop the Ball
This is one of the most interesting games that will keep you laughing when performed by the kids. Ask your child to run while holding the ball, or you can even use a balloon between their legs (choose the ball that ideally fits in). They will have to cover a specific distance with the same positioning by hopping without dropping; if they lose the ball, they will lose the game, and the last to hold the ball in the path eventually wins. Mark the repetitions to keep them well engaged.
3. Color and Shape Game
Through this specific game, the kids can practice their motor skills while learning the importance of shapes and colors. You can organize this game by drawing various grid patterns on the concrete area in your backyard in multiple colors. Ask your kid and their friends to walk from one end of the area to the other by stepping on the colors and shapes you call out. Each point will be awarded for every correct step taken. This will allow everyone to participate, giving the kids a great time learning about shapes and colors.
4. Hide and Seek
You all must have heard about the conventional hide-and-seek games that still remain one of the favorite ideas; however, this game comes with a slight twist. Every participant looks for the person who is hiding. When a player locates that one hidden person, they must join him/her in the hidden place; this will continue until the hidden group is found, and the person to be found will eventually be the winner of the game.
5. Obstacle Course
It is one of the most interactive and ideal games on the bloc that requires a sense of understanding and cooperation to deal with the people in the group. You can make use of a series of unwanted and unused materials to create a set of obstacles and activities for the kids to clear. You can bring tires, hula hoops, or pipes to erect an obstacle course for the kids to accomplish as a group. Consider organizing relay races and other similar activities as well if facing a lack of ideas.
6. Red Rover
An outdoor game for kids that requires physical strength and teamwork skills to play. Each team must form a hand-in-hand line that faces the opposite side from a distance of roughly 20 feet. Anyone from the team will say, ‘Red Rover,’ and will ask the specific player from the opponent’s team to come near to their chain. The assigned player will rush at them, attempting to break through a pair of joined hands in the chain of team 1. If that player manages to break the chain, they will recruit a member of team one to team two, and if they fail, they will have to join the opposite squad. And the process will go on until just one person from the alternative will remain.
7. Splat Bucket
This outdoor game for kids is the simplified version of an old-fashioned dunking stall that is just perfect for summer days. You can proceed by making your own bucket by attaching a target to a dunk bucket. Whenever someone hits the mark, the person sitting on the chair below gets soaked, and this will go on. The best part is you can have any number of people play this intriguing game.
8. The Scavenger Hunt in Nature
A perfect outdoor game for kids to help them build cognitive skills and will allow them to think proactively. Children must complete the hint by finding all of the items on the list given to them by the coordinator. You can choose the place for the game in a way that makes it difficult to find the hidden objects. You can even give them the clue associated with finding every object listed. Provide them with a bag to gather the objects. The best part about the scavenger hunt is you can opt to choose to switch it up with the seasons, allowing the kids involved to play the game repeatedly without getting bored.
9. Jumping the Rope
Go and get a skipping rope and choose to play one of the basic outdoor games for kids that amuses them in the best possible and easiest manner. Make sure that you don’t go for a slippery surface. Jump the rope in groups of two to three players while the other two are holding the rope on the two sides. It is better if the rope is being operated for the kids to jump by the adults to avoid any mishap.
10. Mud Hurdle Run
One of the most enchanting outdoor games for kids, A DIY hurdle run is perfectly ideal for kids who enjoy running and clambering. Opt for making the obstacle course out of tires or hula hoops, boxes, and strings and bring into use other additional elements that are lying unused around your backyard. Proceed with the game in a manner that allows each child to race and record time for each of them. Consider making a small pit or kid pool of water and mud, if possible, to enhance the degree of struggle. Mark an additional prize for them whoever completes the race in the least time.
11. Tug of War
One of the classical games that still holds relevance since time immemorial. Organize the children in two groups. A senior member must act as a mediator in the game and direct the two sides to pull the rope with all the force towards their sides. Don’t forget to mark a middle point in the rope which, when crossed into any side during the action, will be marked the winner of the specific round. Repeat the same for an odd number of times to mark the eventual winners.
12. Tap on The Shoe
Every participant in the game forms a large circle and tries to tap the shoes of the person standing next to them. Once tapped, the player will have to exit the loop, and the process will go on until the two players remain; one of them will win. As per the rule, the person can’t leave the tapping spot, nor can they touch the body parts of other participants.
13. Catch Me if You Can
It is the easiest game to let the kids engage in; more than two members can be a part of this. One will run after all the other members involved in the game, and once the person who is running after all the others touches, one will replace him/her and will follow the same step. This is like a loop and will never end until all the members involved get tired.
14. Duck Duck Goose
Every participant in the game sits in a circle. The tagger will walk around the circle, patting everyone’s head and uttering the phrase “duck” or “goose.” If the tagger says duck, nothing changes; however, if he/she says goose, the person who has been tagged will have to catch the tagger before getting to the original location. If the tagger gets a tap, they will have to sit in the middle of the circle.
15. Balloon Tennis
Inflate the balloon as depicted in the image above. Demonstrate the kids involved in the game to pat it up in the air and over toward you for the partner involved in the game to pat back. See how long your balloon rally can go to enjoy the watery fun in your backyard. You might also consider using the washing line as a net. Once your kid finds interest in the game, you might also make the rackets out of wire coat hangers and a pair of tights.
16. Capture the Flag
This outdoor game for kids is the best when there are a lot of members involved in the game. Split the entire group into two groups. Each team has a flag at a specific point in the base of the opponent team. The prime objective of the game is to run straightaway into the territory of the other team, capture their flag, and bring it safely back to their own area. You can tag the members of the enemy team and send them to your jail. In the wake of the game, it is sometimes played that all the people in jail could be holding hands and making a chain back toward their own territory.
17. Hopscotch
Bring into use the sidewalk chalk to make a hopscotch grid. Make the numbering from one to nine. Take up a rock that is good to toss so that it lands flat. The small ones will bounce too much, while the larger ones are hard to throw. Start by tossing the rock onto square 1. Hop on the rock thrown with one foot or both and follow the pattern as made on the floor. Repeat the process by turning around to return. If you fail to make up the square, your turn will be over. The best part about the game is it can be played with as many people as you want.
18. SPUD
The classical SPUD from our childhoods still holds relevance as one of the top games for kids. To play, designate someone as “It” for the first round. The child who is part of the game throws a ball high in the air and shouts another player’s name. Everyone will have to run except the called player. who will have to try to catch the ball as quickly as possible amidst the rush of other players.
Once they hold the ball, they will yell “SPUD,” and everyone will freeze. They will have to throw the ball at someone else. If the ball makes contact, that person will automatically get the “S” and become the next “It.” The first member of the game to get the full set of letters (S-P-U-D) loses the game.
19. Backyard Bowling
As a moderator, encourage your kids to set up a makeshift bowling ramp with cans or bottles. They can then turn to roll a semi-heavy ball toward the pins. Check how many tries it takes to knock all the cans erected down. Increase the difficulty by moving the starting line farther and farther after every round ends. It is essential to moderate for a flat surface so that the game goes on in a flawless manner.
20. Monkey in The Middle
This is an easy game to go for kids, with just three players required for the same. The “Monkey” starts in the middle, with two players on either side passing the ball to each other; the movement goes back and forth until the one in the middle intercepts and touches the ball anyway, and the person who lost the bottle from the clutch becomes the monkey. The entire process will go on until the members involved unanimously decide to hold the game. You can proceed with increasing the members involved and can also make two teams where one passes the ball and the other tries to intercept by standing in the circle and being surrounded by their opponents from the three sides.
21. Tic-Tac-Toe
Bring into use the washable paint or the chalk to create a massive Tic-Tac-Toe board. Mark a unique number of signs to proceed with the game on the surface. Remember that there need to be nine blank spaces when you are done with that process. You need at least two players to play the game; if there are more to play, you can execute it in a round-robin tournament style. In the game, one player is given ‘X,’ while the has ‘O’. Whichever player gets ‘X’ or ‘O thrice in a row, either horizontally, vertically, or diagonally, eventually wins.
22. Four Square
This outdoor game for kids is played on a square court that is divided into even smaller four squares, which are numbered from 1-4. Four players take up one square each. They are made to stand in a fashion that the highest-ranked player takes the square numbering 1, while the lowest-ranked player takes the square numbering 4. During our time, we had many additional rules. A basic rule is jotted down in a manner that the person who violates the rule is demoted down the order and replaced by the players standing in succession accordingly.
23. Kick the Can
This game is played by gathering four players, where someone is designated as ‘It.’ Now, this child is given the responsibility to kick an empty can while other players go to hide. Once the counting is completed up to 100, the kicker sets the can in the upright position and shouts, “Ready or not, here I come.” They then go on to search for other players in the area. As they find someone, they will yell the name of that player loudly, and both of them rush toward the can and try to kick it.
24. Sardines
Sardiness is the hide-and-seek with a twist. To play this game, one person hides while all the others involved in the game search for the hider. Once the player finds the person hiding, he/she joins them in the hiding spot. The last person to find the hidden group (who ends up looking like a bunch of sardines) loses the game and eventually becomes the first person to hide in the next round.
25. Jacks
This is a unique game on the list that can be played both indoors, outdoors, or even on the go with a flat hardboard surface. The players involved in the game scatter the jacks, as shown in the image above, on the playing surface in a similar fashion as rolling dice. The ball is then tossed up, then allowed to bounce once, and caught before the second bounce. The player then tries to scoop up jacks and catch the ball with one hand before the ball makes a second bounce. There are many variations to the rules of this game, including things like “pigs in the pen” and “double bounces.”
26. The Balancing Art
This one outdoor game for the kids is one of the perfect options to boost mental and physical development, besides enhancing the importance of teamwork. Under this one game, you can have three different variations, which include:
- Back to back: Make the kids sit on the ground with their backs facing each other. Let them stand on their feet using their hands.
- The Hoping Game: Drape a bandana or take any other lightweight fabric over one of your child’s feet. With the given foot lifted, allow them to take the task and see whether they can hop up and down without losing the fabric under their possession.
- Don’t Let the Ball Drop: Make the child hold the ball between their knees (take such a ball that they can squeeze easily) and ask them to walk. Now, see whether they can hop or skip. Whoever manages to make the farthest wins the race.
27. The Physical Brain Teaser
On the index cards, jot down various sequences of at least five numbers (say, 2, 3, 6, 5, 9). After that, gather nine numbered cones or bring a marker into use to number milk cartons or any box of your choice. Now, go on to place the cones in separate open areas, with spacing between them a few feet apart. Then, go for two players and make them stand at a designated starting line, where one is the caller and the other is the runner.
The caller will draw a card from the deck and will announce the first number in the sequence. The runner’s job is to run towards the numbered cone and tag it, then get back to the starting line. The caller will now yell a different number, and the runner will have to repeat the process, but this time tag the previous cone as well in the given sequence and return. Increase the number of cones for more fun and to increase the complication for them.
28. Fitness Dice
Get rolling on your kid’s fitness plan with a set of homemade movement dice. To get the desired pair, use duct tape to seal the edges and cover the sides of two small cube boxes. Bring into use the permanent marker, and write numbers on one die (ensure that the numbers written are no more than 10) while writing various physical activities movements on the other hand, such as “Hopping, Spinning, Running, Plank, and many more on the other hand. The players in the game will take their turns rolling the dice, and based on the number turning up, they will perform the activity as mentioned.
29. Kicking the Croquet
Go on to make the croquet course by using pool noodles or the hula hoops and allow the kids to kick the bouncing balls through the wickets. Make sure that you prepare the hula hoops in a manner that the kids are able to kick the balls through them without any issues. Please create your croquet route with the arches and secure them to the ground with garden stakes. In order to play the game, instruct the participating kids to kick the balls through the course. With every number of wickets the kids pass, a point is awarded, and the kid who completes the course first becomes the eventual champion.
30. Fitting in The Line
It is a basic game but filled with lots of anxiety and rush. To play, draw a 2-meter-long line or, based on the number of kids, you have to play the game with chalk on the ground. Make all the players stand in a separate place. The moderator will have a whistle in hand and will blow, guiding the kids to rush towards the line and stand along the same line. Those unable to find a spot will get eliminated; the process will continue for multiple rounds, marking elimination after every other round, and this will continue in the same manner until the last person remains, who will be the eventual champion.
31. Slow Cycling Race
Another fun-filled and enchanting game to go along with, which is a great piece of delight for adults as well. In this outdoor game for kids, the participant will have to ride the bikes, but in an enchanting fashion, apart from the conventional cycling race, where the kids will have to keep the balance while riding the cycle towards the finish line as slowly as possible with an aim to finish as late as possible. But they will have to keep their balance on the go as well without putting their legs on the ground. Marking, which will amount to their disqualification. Even if no one manages to finish the line, the one who is able to keep up the balance until the last will win.
32. Water Cup Race
This game involves the usage of water cups, which will have a hole towards the center. Fasten it to a strong anchor point, then allow that to run through the cup and knot the other end to a particular tree branch or chair. Now, let both the cups to the end of their strings and each of the participants a water cannon that has water. Now, ask the kids to pour the water into the cups to push them along that very string. Whoever manages to take their cup toward the end of the string first will be the winner.
33. Musical Chair
This is yet another classical and fun-loving game in existence for so long. Align all the chairs in the circle one less than the number of participants. Make the kids run around as the music plays, and as it pauses, they will have to take the chair each. Those failing to secure one will be eliminated. After every successive round, there will be eliminations leading to the final two, and the one winning the last round becomes the eventual champion.
34. Tossing the Ping Pong Ball
To proceed with this game, you need to have a ping pong ball, a marker, and a few plastic cups. Mark the cups from 1-5. Then, fill it halfway with water and arrange the entire cup according to the numbering detailed in order of lower to higher. Allow your child to throw five balls into the cups for points as denoted on the cups. One point will be awarded if the ball lands up in cup number 1, and five points for landing the ball in number 5. You could also give the kids thirty seconds to throw as many ping-pong balls as they can. The child with the most points is the winner.
Conclusion
Sports play an important role in the lives of every person. When it specifically concerns children, the matter eventually gets down to the positive impact that it leaves on them, amounting to overall well-being.
It is essential to motivate your child from a very young age to participate in sports that will work for their benefit eventually in the later part of their lives. Sports develop all-around aspects in a kid’s life, which is essential for their holistic development, making them socially aware and allowing them to participate in such social interactions.
Parents must devote their time to their kids to ensure that they are working proactively for their physical and mental well-being. The games mentioned above are just a few examples that can be taught in their curriculum to ensure their best possible growth alongside having fun at the same time.
Make sure you drop your views on our recommendation in the road ahead to shape up your kid’s personality with sports at the helm of it.
