Outdoor games raise your heart rate, take advantage of the fresh air and use basic supplies most homes have on hand. You can play these games with your kids in your backyard or at a local park or campground. Your kids may come up with their own versions of the games for even more entertainment.
Relay Races
Relay races add an exciting twist to a regular race. There are many versions of the relay race, which allows you to customize the activity to fit the ages and interests of each kid, as well as the amount of available space. For a basic relay race, set up a cone or other object at one end of the yard. The starting line is at the other end of the yard. The players are divided into two teams. Try to divide the adults and kids evenly so the teams are fairly matched. The players from each team take turns racing from the starting line, around the cone and back to the starting line.
To make the relays more interesting, add challenges beyond just running around the cone and back. One option is to have the kids skip, do the crab crawl, hop or use another method of movement. If you have a large paved area, try using bikes or skateboards in the relay. Another option is to have a costume for each team. The players put on the costume before running the relay course. After returning to the starting line, the players remove the costume and hand it to the next player.
Hula Hoop Games
Hula hoops provide several game options to play with children. Seeing who can hula hoop the longest is a simple game you can play at any time. Hula hoops can serve as the bases for a game of tag when placed on the ground. Anyone standing inside the hula hoop is safe. A hula hoop on the ground also works well as a target for a beanbag toss game. Place hula hoops at different distances from the throwing line with the far hoops being worth more points. The players earn the corresponding points when they toss a beanbag inside a hoop.
Bubble Contests
Bubbles entertain kids of all ages. For more entertainment value, hold bubble contests. Covering a table or other surface with some bubble solution allows you to blow bubbles on it without them immediately popping. Hold different contests to see who can blow the biggest bubble or the most bubbles without popping them.
Bottle Bowling
Old 2-liter soda bottles work well as homemade bowling pins for a backyard bowling game. Add a few inches of water to 10 soda bottles. Add a few drops of food coloring to each bottle to make the water more colorful. The kids can decorate the bottles with stickers, permanent markers or paint for a personalized look. Set up the bottles in a pyramid shape on an area of flat ground. Roll a ball toward the bottles to knock over as many as possible.
Member Comments