Recreational Games For Kids

Nearly 10 percent of children ages 2 through 5 are obese, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and this number doubles for kids between the ages of 6 and 11. Former U.S. Surgeon General C. Everett Koop, M.D., states that "unstructured playtime, especially outdoors, is one of the most valuable gifts we can give our children." Koop advocates play for building healthy bodies, as well as for learning important social skills.

Outdoor Running Games

Simple running games involving tag or ringolevio--a game involving team tag play--offer a chance for fun and exercise. Other running games include soccer, obstacle courses, and relay races that involve the use of batons. The National Institutes of Health's MedlinePlus reports that children require physical activity of at least one hour every day. In addition to burning calories, running games assist in building bones and muscles and keeping them strong, according to MedlinePlus.

Outdoor Net Games

Outdoor net games include volleyball, basketball and badminton. All involve running, hand-and-eye coordination and mental preparation. Nemours' KidsHealth website advocates badminton and basketball for kids as a way to let off steam and exercise. If a net isn't available, simply hitting a badminton birdie in the air between two players builds skills, according to KidsHealth. Aerobic activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control, should be the focus of child recreational games. The running involved in outdoor net games provides the necessary weekly activity, if done at least three times each week.

Outdoor Skill Games

The game of golf involves the use of hand and eye coordination, physical activity and mental planning. Jill Goldman and Kevin Pfluge, recreation professionals and members of the New Jersey Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance, advocate the game of golf for children of all ages. Larger balls and size-appropriate clubs help kids adapt the game to be successful, as well as receive valuable daily exercise. Other outdoor skill games include kickball, a field game using kicking and running with a basketball-sized ball, and team sports, such as soccer, softball and baseball.

Indoor Games

Susan B. Nye, Ph.D., James Madison University, encourages indoor play using jump ropes in games of skill that involve using a pair of jump ropes, jumping precisely to avoid being tripped up by the ropes. Other indoor games include volleyball and badminton, both options when weather outdoors is bad. The National Institutes of Health recommends that parents join children in exercising, to model a good example of physical activity. Joining a gym or using the neighborhood public recreational facilities to play indoor volleyball or badminton are just two ways to encourage children to play recreational games in the winter months.