Many children enjoy playing outside, and outdoor games can provide fun and exercise. Bobbi Conner, author of "Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun," writes that the more children play outside, the more they will want to play outside again. Outside games may motivate them to get regular exercise.
Statues
Children playing this game alternate between running fast and freezing in place, says Conner. Use colored masking tape to mark a starting line and a finish line on a large patch of grass. All of the players except for one stand at the start line. That one player stands on the finish line with his back to the other players. He begins counting to 10. He can count slowly, quickly or change the pace of his counting as he goes. When he stops counting, the other players must freeze. He turns around and anyone he catches moving must go back to the starting line. As the other players move towards the child on the finish line, they try to tag him before he turns around. If he is tagged, he chases the other players back to the starting line. If he tags one of the other players, that child goes to count at the finish line and the next round begins.
Bed Sheet Ping Pong
According to Karyn Wellhousen, author of "Outdoor Play, Every Day: Innovative Play Concepts for Early Childhood," this game can be a lively way to compete as part of a team. Children are divided into two teams and stand facing each other holding a bed sheet tightly between them. A ping pong ball is dropped into the center of the sheet and the children move their side of the sheet to try to knock the ball off the opposite side of the sheet. The children must work together to get the ball to the other side of the sheet and then to get it to fall to the ground. Each time the players knock the ball off, they get a point and the team with the most points at the end wins.
Hospital Tag
Tag is a fun game that many children enjoy, writes Wellhousen. Hospital tag is played just as traditional tag is played, with one variation. One person becomes "it" and tries to tag the other players. Once a player is tagged, he must place his hand on his body where he was tagged and then he becomes "it." He must run around trying to tag the other players with his hand on his body where he was tagged. Once he tags another player he can put his hand down and continue playing normally.
References
- "Unplugged Play: No Batteries. No Plugs. Pure Fun"; Bobbi Conner; 2007
- "Outdoor Play, Every Day: Innovative Play Concepts for Early Childhood"; Karyn Wellhousen; 2002
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