Children love playing outside. Unless the forecast calls for serious storms or dangerous temperatures, there is no reason they shouldn’t be free to enjoy nature. Sometimes organized outdoor play is the best way to go. Outside games are great for allowing kids to get some fresh air, a little exercise and have a lot of fun.
Red Light, Green Light
The outside game Red Light, Green Light is a sure fire way for children to practice following directions while burning some energy. It is recommended on the website Games Kids Play. One child is designated as the leader. A parent or adult can also play the role of leader. The leader pretends to be a stoplight. The other players stand next to each other in a line facing the leader who stands about 10 or 15 feet away, but not facing the children. The “stoplight” yells out the commands, “green light” or “red light.” When the stoplight yells “green light” the children run toward him. When the stoplight yells the command “red light” he turns around and faces the children. All of the children must stop running. If any child doesn’t stop running immediately he is out of the game. The first child who reaches the leader wins and is the designated stoplight in the next round. The stoplight wins if all of the kids are ruled out before anyone reaches him.
Relay Races
Relay races are terrific outside games to teach kids about teamwork. Races are also a means to get kids interested in sports that involve running, such as track and field. Kids Running suggests putting kids in small groups for relay races and changing the kids on a team frequently to make sure teams remained balanced in skill. The website also suggests putting fun twists on relay races such as a spoon and egg race. This stability race helps kids master balance and coordination. Kids are given an egg and a spoon and must try to run with the egg balanced on the spoon to the end point and back to the next team player to whom they pass the egg.
Another twist on a relay race is a manipulative race in which the kids practice skills such as skipping, dribbling a ball or bouncing a tennis ball on a racket from a start point to an end point and back again.
Bridge Tag
Tag is another outside game that keeps kids busy and entertained. There are several variations on this classic children’s game. The website Outdoor Games suggests teaching kids how to play Bridge Tag. In this version of tag, one person is deemed “it.” She has to tag the other players. Once a player is tagged she has to form her body into the shape of a bridge. She can only be freed from the bridge position when another player crawls under her without being tagged. The game continues until every player, except the tagger, is a bridge.
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