7 Outdoor Games For Children

When I was a kid, summer meant playing outside until the sun went down. I didn’t have many toys, so I made do with games that required nothing more than a few other kids and some open space.

Although today’s young people may have less time to wander aimlessly in the sunshine, outdoor play is still important for their development. Here are seven of my favorite outdoor games from childhood — each of which only requires two or more players and plenty of space.

Hopscotch

Hopscotch isn’t just a game you played as a kid; it’s also an activity that can be enjoyed by everyone, no matter their age.

This game is a great way to get kids moving around and having fun. It’s also a chance for kids to learn about numbers, counting, and following directions. With hopscotch, players hop from square to square (or “box” as we call them) on the ground or marked with chalk on the pavement or sidewalk.

The goal of the game is for each player or team to get their marker from one end of the grid all the way down until they reach home base at number 25 (or another ending number). Hopscotch grids are typically designed with five boxes per row but you can create your own by drawing straight lines or using uneven shapes like triangles and diamonds just make sure there are enough sections!

Hide and Seek

The basic game of hiding and seek is simple enough for even the littlest kids to understand: one person counts to a specific number, then everyone hides. The seeker finds everyone but one person, who has now become “it.”

After counting again, everyone hides while the new seeker looks for people. If you’re playing with multiple children and don’t have enough chairs or objects to hide behind, consider breaking up into teams so that if a child is found by another team member they can hide together without giving away their position by calling out when they run out of places to go (if your child hasn’t yet developed an understanding of personal space).

Make it more challenging by adding penalties when someone gets caught—for example: if you get caught three times in a row you must stand in place until someone else gets caught next; if two players from one team get caught at the same time that team must switch sides; anyone who gets caught twice must sit down before beginning their count again; anyone who gets caught once has to act like an animal on all subsequent counts until someone else gets caught first.

To make this game more fun try setting up some ground rules beforehand such as no touching other players’ hiding spots or coming within ten feet of where someone is hiding after being found (getting too close will ruin everything!). You can also come up with silly consequences depending on what kind of mood your family’s feeling—for instance: if I’m found first tonight then everyone else has won immunity against my punishment!

Jump Rope

Jump rope is a great way to burn calories and stay fit. Jumping rope is also a fun, easy way to exercise and get kids active while they’re at it.

This game requires two people or one person and some sort of object that can be used as an extension of the rope—a long piece of string or twine works well too! First, tie one end of your jump rope around something sturdy like a tree branch or pole.

then take hold of both ends with your hands and start jumping as fast as you can until you get tired out (it’s okay if you don’t have much endurance). If there are multiple players involved in this game, try racing each other instead!

Capture the Flag

Capture the Flag is a game that’s played by two teams, each with up to 10 players. The objective is for one team to capture the other team’s flag and bring it back to their base.

The area where this game can be played should be large enough for all players to move freely, but not too big so that it becomes difficult for players on opposing teams who have time limits in order to capture flags.

Teams should be divided into groups based on age, gender and size (if possible). This will help keep older children from running over smaller ones and vice versa!

Horseshoes

Horseshoes is a game played by two players. One player throws the horseshoe and the other player tries to get it closest to the stake. The one who throws it closest wins.

Horseshoes are played on a rectangular field, with stakes placed in four corners of the field. Horseshoes are thrown from an area roughly five feet away from each stake and ringed by chalk or sand lines (if you don’t have chalk or sand handy, rocks will do just fine).

Duck Duck Goose

Duck Duck Goose is a classic children’s game that is perfect for parties and large groups. The objective of the game is to catch the other players and turn them into ducks.

The game is played by two or more people and can be played indoors or outdoors.

Children sit in a circle
The child who is “it” begins by walking around the circle, tapping each child on the head.
The child who was tapped becomes “it” and continues to walk around, tapping each person until they are again tapped and become “it.”
Keep going until all children have been tapped as “it.”

Freeze Tag

The Basics. This is a very popular game for children of all ages, but it’s especially great for kids ages 5-8. It’s also an excellent choice for a birthday party or another special occasion.

Who Plays: A group of players (6-10) line up side by side, facing each other in two lines. If you’re playing with younger kids, make sure to set up teams of two.

How to Play: The leader calls out “freeze,” and everyone freezes in place. As soon as someone moves or giggles, they become “it.” They must chase down one player of their choosing—preferably one who moved first—and tag them while they’re still frozen! Once tagged, that person becomes “it” and begins chasing after other players until another person moves or laughs before being tagged themselves. Repeat until everyone has had a turn being frozen and chasing after someone else!

What You’ll Need: Nothing special! Just make sure you have plenty of space so no one gets hurt when running around trying not to be caught by the “it” player!

These games provide outdoor fun for children.

There are many outdoor games that provide fun for children. Some of these games include hide and seek, tag, and hopscotch.

These games are often played with friends or siblings and can help children burn off energy.

These games are fun.
These games are safe.
These games are easy to set up.
These games are easy to play.
These games are easy to clean up!

Conclusion

We hope you have enjoyed our list of 7 fun outdoor games for kids. The next time it starts to get a little warm outside, maybe you and your friends will head out and play a few rounds of freeze tag. Who knows? You may end up creating your own fun game! Remember to stay safe while playing any physical sports, and always keep an eye on the weather so that no one gets hurt in bad weather conditions.

7 Outdoor Games For Children