Fun,Cool Outside Games for Kids

When the weather is nice, it’s time to play outside! It’s important that kids have the opportunity to play games outside. It’s great for exercise, helps with team building, building confidence and problem solving. If you run a camp, activity program or just have a group of neighborhood kids, these fun and easy games will be the highlight or any kids day. Check out these AMAZING outside games for kids!

Amazing Outside Games for Kids

Freeze and Melt

Materials: None

1. Designate a play area.

2. Have all the children run around in designated play area.

3. Have the adult or person it clap hands and yell freeze.  All the children must freeze at this time.

4. Who ever did not freeze is out.  The adult or person it decides who is out.

5. Adult or person it yells melt all the children start running around again.

6. Last child standing is the new person it.

SPUD

Materials needed: Kick ball or any rubber ball about the size of a basketball

  1. One child holds the ball
  2. All the other children make a circle around him (about 4ft away)
  3. Child holding the ball calls out one of the other player’s names and throws the ball straight up into the air.
  4. All the children run away from the ball except the player who’s name was called
  5. Player who’s name was called must run and get the ball. When they pick up the ball they yell stop.
  6. All the children must freeze
  7. Child who is holding the ball gets to take 4 big steps towards another player while spelling S-P-U-D
  8. After the steps the child must throw the ball to tag another player. If they get the player that player gets an S if they miss then they get the S. The child that gets tagged is now it.
  9. When a child receives S-P-U-D they are out. Last child standing wins.

 Hit the Deck/ Captain’s Ship

Materials: None

  1. Designate an area to be the “ship” let all players know where the left, right, front and back of the ship is, also make a base.
  2. One child is chosen to be it.  This person is the captain.  All the other people playing are the crew.
  3. The captain shouts outs order s to the crew.  The crew must follow.
  4. If a crew member does not follow the orders from the captain they are out. (think Simon Says)

Here are the orders the captain can shout out.

Hit the deck! All players must lay on the floor.

To the ship:  All players run to the right, last one there is out.

To the Island: All players run to the left, last one there is out

Three-man boat: All players must get into groups of three and pretend to row a boat (player that does not make it in a group is out)

Shark! All players must run to base (make a base prior to the start of the game). Last player to base is out

Attention on deck: All players salute the captain and yell “aye, aye Captain” Players cannot move until captain yells “at ease” If a player moves, they are out.

Man Overboard: Players get into groups of two, one player lays on their stomach the other player places their foot on their partners back. Players that do not have a partner are out, last pair to do task is out.

Bow: Run to the front of the ship, last one there is out.

Stern: Run to the back of the ship, last one there is out.

Scrub the deck: All players get on their knees and pretend to scrub the ship; players don’t stop until captain yells “ships clean” players who stop early or keeps cleaning are out.

Johnny Come Over 

Materials needed: None

Must be played in a large open area

  1. Pick 1 child to be it.  If you have a large group (over 10) 2 people can be it.
  2. The child who is it stands in the middle of the playing area.
  3. All the other children stand in a horizontal line about 30ft-50ft away.
  4. Child who is it yells Johnny Come Over all the children try to run to the other side while child is it tries to tag them.
  5. When child are tagged they must freeze.
  6. The children who made it wait until they hear Johnny Come Over to try to run back to the other side.
  7. Children who are tagged can help the child who is it by sticking their hands out to tag children as they run by. They can only stick their hands out they cannot move their feet.
  8. Last child standing wins and becomes the next person it.

RED LIGHT, GREEN LIGHT 123 

Materials Needed: None

  1. One child is chosen to be it (traffic light)
  2. All the other children stand 30ft-50ft away
  3. The “traffic light” turns their back towards the children and says Red light, green light 123 while all the other children run closer to them.
  4. After the “traffic light” says 3 they quickly turn around. Any child caught moving get sent back to start.
  5. First child to reach the “traffic light” wins and is now it.

Mother May I?

Materials needed: None

  1. One child is chosen to be the “mother”
  2. All the other children stand in a line 30ft-50ft away
  3. The “mother” calls out of the children’s name and asks them to complete a task (i.e take 4 giant steps forward). The child responds “Mother May I?” The “mother” replies yes you may or no you may not.
  4. The “mother” goes down the line of children and has them complete tasks until one child reaches her and is now the new “mother.”

Children love this game because they are asked to complete many different and funny tasks.  Some ideas are: Giant steps, Ballerina Steps, Frog Leap, Spin Step.

Be Creative and Have Fun!!

Water Balloon Toss

Materials Needed: Water Balloons

  1. Put the children into two lines.  Their partners will be the child directly across from them.
  2. Give each child on one of the lines a water balloon.
  3. When they are told go the children throw their water balloon to their partner and then the partner throws it back.
  4. When all the teams complete this task one line takes a step back. If they did not complete the task and they break the water balloon that team is out.
  5. Repeat
  6. Last team standing wins.

Tag

Materials Needed: None

  1. Decide on an area where the children will play. Instruct the children not go out outside that area.
  2. Pick a child who is it.
  3. All the children start running around
  4. The child who is it tries to tag another child.
  5. When another child is tagged they are now it.
  6. The games continues until you have them stop.

Freeze Tag

Materials Needed: None

  1. Decide on an area where the children will play. Instruct the children not to go outside that area.
  2. Pick a child to be it.
  3. All the children run around.
  4. When the child who is it tags another child they freeze.
  5. Last child standing wins and is not it.

Blind Man’s Bluff

Materials Needed: None

  1. Decide on an area where the children will make.  Make sure it is clear of any objects on can trip and get hurt.
  2. Pick a child to be it.
  3. The child who is it wears a blind fold.
  4. The blind folded child has to spin in a circle 5-10 times (number of spins will be set at the beginning of the game) while the other children runs away.
  5. After the child completes the spins they yell stop.  ALl the children must freeze.
  6. The blind folded child yells blind man’s and the other children respond bluff.
  7. The blind folded child must try to find the children using the verbal cues.
  8. They repeat the saying blind man’s bluff until all the children are found.
  9. Last child found wins and is now it.

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