Outdoor games are fantastic because play can get messy.
My children “borrow” my blender to use as a mud bucket. They bring bugs inside. They engage in “salt fights” as I try to mop the kitchen floor. (Yep, just shaking the salt shaker on each other until I wish that an angel would put them to bed and deliver an IV drip of “not this.”)
But in the long run, I actually don’t care.
Not because I enjoy cleaning. (No!) But because I’m so happy that they are playing outside, using their imaginations, and making memories. The mess won’t last, but the memories will.
What if your kids don’t like playing outside?
What if they have gotten so used to watching fast-paced Youtube stunt shows interlaced with ads for flaming hot Cheetos that everything else on Planet Earth seems BORRRINNGGG?!
Well, try a few of the ideas below.
Sometimes they just need something to spark their interest and get them outside for more than five minutes. Start with one of these games or toys.
Eventually, once they realize that the real world is actually better than the cyber one, they will learn to play by themselves. But it’s a muscle. You can’t just expect to shoo them out the back door and have them know what to do.
My children will entertain themselves with a bucket, water, and dirt for HOURS. No joke. HOURS. But it has taken many months to get to this place. Especially for my son with ADHD. That’s where outdoor games come in.
So start small.
Ten minutes of playing catch.
Fifteen minutes of tag.
Twenty minutes of a scavenger hunt.
They’ll get on board sooner than you know. Especially when screens are not an option. (So don’t let them give up after two minutes and go inside!) And for the love of God, don’t stand there looking at your phone and expect them to “go play.” You need to engage too.
Click on the links below to learn more about each game.
What Are The Best Outdoor Games For Kids?
Bicycling or scootering – Always wear a helmet!
Roller skating – Always wear a helmet!
Dig in the dirt! Make a mud kitchen, or a sand castle!
Hit a tennis ball against the garage or the side of the house.
Build a snowman!
The more open-ended the game, the better. You could potentially ride bikes ALL DAY. But if you bought a secret potion kit at Target, then when the potion runs out after 17 minutes, so does the fun. (Not like I know anything about that from experience. What? Why are you looking at me? )
Classic Outdoor Games For Kids
Paint with water and a paintbrush on the driveway or sidewalk.
Walk the dog, or offer to walk the neighbor’s dog.
Go to the closest playground and make some new friends!
Fly a kite!
Climb a tree (click to see the many benefits!)
Games for kids to play outside – no equipment necessary!
Tag or Freeze Tag
Toilet tag (kids find this one especially hilarious)
Sword fight using branches
Charades
TV tag (I loved this one in elementary PE class!)
Farmer Sam or Sharks and Minnows
Minimal props needed – Outdoor Games For Kids
Four Square (If your driveway has four sections you can play there instead of taping-off an area.)
Tennis. Many cities have free local courts.
Soccer – just keep it simple. A few kids, a ball, and a place that you consider the “goal.”
Play catch.
Basketball – Many local parks have free basketball courts. Or you could buy a hoop for your home.
Make a scavenger hunt
Have your kids make a scavenger hunt for YOU.
Classic outdoor games for outside!
Sledding
Ice Skating – wear your helmet!
Create a snow fort
Snowshoeing
Skiing – wear your helmet!
Wading Pool
Slip n’ Slide
Water balloons
Just turn on the sprinklers and let the kids run!
Lie in a hammock, watch the clouds, and read a book!
Jump in a pile of leaves
More good stuff about kids, play, and screens!
More ideas on how to entertain your child without screen time.
Our list of favorite screen-free toys!
Learn about Jonathan Haidt’s upcoming book for kids, tweens, and teens called “The Amazing Generation: How to Choose Fun and Freedom in a Screen-Filled World.” It’s the kid-friendly sequel to his book “The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness.”
If you’re having trouble weening your child from her iPad, checkout my helpful post here.
And to learn about the importance of play, checkout my post here.
This fall, curl up with these Halloween books for kids!
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I hope that you have fun with these outdoor games for kids! These will leave the kinds of lasting memories that video games just can’t!
