Whether you're out camping, looking for an alternative to working out in the gym or just looking for an excuse to get outside and do something active, you can find games to play outdoors with the guys. A few games consistently land near the top of the list when men want to get out in the sun and have some fun while staying fit at the same time.
Flag Football
Played like regular football, flag football uses two-hand touch or small flags as substitutes for tackling. You can set up a field and goals using cones or other easily visible objects. You can always ramp up the game by switching to tackle football, but flag football works better on rough or sharp terrain.
Dodgeball
Dodgeball is another favorite outdoor game among men. All you need for this activity is five or more soft balls, such as kickballs or foam balls, and cones or other objects to mark off the court and the middle line.
With a whistle or yell, each team runs for the balls lined up on the center line. You must return the ball to the back of your side of the court--often referred to as the "throw line"--before you can throw the ball. The goal is to hit the other team's players with a ball without the other player catching it. If the ball is caught, you are out, and the other team is allowed to bring in a player who was formerly out. The game goes until only one person is left.
Horseshoes
For a more relaxed outdoor activity, you can also try horseshoes. This game can be played with two people as individuals or in two teams of two, or "doubles."
Two stakes are drilled into the ground approximately 40 feet apart. Standing at one end, the first player pitches his horseshoes toward the stake, getting them as close to the stake as possible in an attempt to throw a "ringer," in which the horseshoe completely surrounds the stake. The next competitor tries to get closer to the stake than the first.
If you're playing doubles, a team member from each team stands on each side of the court. The two players on one side pitch the horseshoes to the other end. After the score is calculated, the players on the other end pitch the horseshoes back toward their teammates.
The players pitch back and forth until all the horseshoes have been thrown. Typically, the shoe closest to the stake gets one point and a ringer counts for three points, but rules can vary.
Capture the Flag
In this game, two flags or other prizes are placed on opposite sides of the playing field. The goal is for members of one team to capture the flag and make it back to their side of the field without being tagged by someone on the opposite team.
If a player is tagged, he goes to "jail" until he's freed by being tagged by a teammate, or until a score has been made. Jails are on both sides of the playing field.
One of the most common scoring methods is to set a specific amount of time to play; the team with the most captures within that time wins.
Ultimate Frisbee
Ultimate Frisbee requires little more than a Frisbee and a way to mark off the boundaries of the field. The goal is to get the Frisbee across the field and into the goal without it hitting the ground or being intercepted by the other team. Goals can be set by cones, or by landmarks in the playing field, such as two trees. To make the game more interesting, you're allowed only three steps after catching the Frisbee before you must toss it to the next player.
Once your team catches the Frisbee within the other team's goal--and not out of bounds--a point is scored. The team with the most points at the end of your desired playing time wins. You can also set a points goal to determine the winner.
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