With the prevalence of computers and TVs in most households, children are staying inside instead of playing outside. Lack of outdoor activity can lead to problems including obesity and heart disease. Playing outside helps your youngster avoid health problems. Early Childhood News credits outdoor play with helping children develop physical and motor skills. Kids burn more calories playing games outdoors than they do playing video games and they get important Vitamin D from the sun.
Red Rover, Red Rover
One physical outdoor game kids love to play is Red Rover, Red Rover. To play this running game the children divide into two teams. Each team of kids forms a horizontal line by locking arms or holding hands. The teams face each other with about 15 feet in between the lines.
The children on one team call for a child on the other team by saying "Red Rover, Red Rover, send 'Johnny' right over." They use a name of an actual child on the other team. That child must run over and try to break through the other team's line. If he can't break the line, he joins it. If he does break the line, he returns to his team.
The teams take turns calling for children on the other team until all the kids are on one team.
Three-Legged Race
Races are challenging outdoor games. One especially physical race is a three legged race. Children get in pairs. One child ties his left leg to his partner's right leg. The pairs of children race to a finish line.
To make this more challenging, have the children carry water balloons that they aren't allowed to drop or challenge them to run around buckets in the course. Family Education suggests letting the tied pairs practice walking before the race begins.
Soccer
"Parents" magazine suggests soccer as a physical game to choose if you have a child who gets bored easily. The fast pace of the game holds children's attention and keeps them moving. The magazine also lists improved coordination and cardiovascular strength as benefits to playing soccer. Kids also practice teamwork on the soccer field.
You can enroll your child in a community soccer league or you can set up a make shift field in your backyard. All you need are two nets, a ball and a few children. If you can't find or afford soccer nets use trees or chairs as goals.
Tug of War
An outdoor game sure to test your young one's strength is tug of war. Gather a group of kids. Half of the kids hold one side of the rope facing the other kids holding the other side of the rope. The goal is for one team to pull the rope out of the other teams' hands.
Match the teams evenly with several big kids on each team and several small kids on each team. Best Kids Games Online suggests adding more excitement to the game by having the kids play over a muddy puddle.
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