There seems to be study after study, advocating outdoor time for kids. Experts suggest a correlation to everything from better overall health, to lower anxiety to better eyesight. While we would prefer if our kids spontaneously wanted to play outside, getting outside and enjoying it takes practice. We’ve compiled this list of outdoor games for kids that parents can employ to help encourage independent outdoor play. Some of these you will recognize as your own childhood outdoor games with your neighborhood friends, others are new to this generation. If we missed any of your favorites, leave us a comment and we’ll share with the community.
For more ideas, Check out our Giant Inside Games List and our Ideas for Physical Games for Kids. Many of the games in both of these lists — like Duck, Duck Goose — can be easily converted to outdoor games. The indoor balloon games could be brought outside and turned into water balloons.
So weird. I was just searching for information about this stuff and you popped up. You must be doing something right. Thanks by the way, this really answered some questions I was throwing around in the back of my mind.
Thanks for checking us out, Janice. What kind of questions were you throwing around? Were you trying to remember games from your childhood? That was my favorite part about gathering this information – remembering playing these games as a kid. If you are still looking for more ideas, we suggest 45+ Fun Physical Activities for Kids of All Ages. We have more ideas there.
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Really nice blog, My kids love to play football from minikicks.org best soccer training school in the UK.
Thanks, Yosuf.
We have some similar programs here in the Twin Cities. One of our favorites is Lil Kickers. But don’t you think its great just to let them loose in the backyard to play for the joy of it?
Nice ideas. In summer hot weather it will great fun for kids. Really great fun ideas for toddlers. Kids generally love to play with water. So This pool games for kids must be great fun.
Thanks Marria:
We tried to keep the water activities down to things families can do with only a small plastic pool or a sprinkler. We hope you have some fun with all of these ideas this summer.
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These games are so lame and broing i mostly played these dumb games
Thanks for your feedback, Jazlynn. What kind of games would you consider less lame and boring?
I always want my child to play outdoor games but as usual, they are busy with their video games or TV. I’ll share with the blog link with them as well as the post is well researched and well-written.hope it will encourage them to get rid of this bad habits.
Cool. It looks like you have your own list of outdoor activities as well. Good luck with the video game detox. We have the same isseus.
My children love Bubbles, Water games, and Gardening. Anyway thanks for the great list. I will teach them some from your list.
Bubbles, water games and gardening are the BEST outdoor games! Have fun learning the new games together.
Amazing idea. Kids love to play in outdoor. I think Kids will like it so much. It’s a great fun to spend summer for kids. I like it so much. I want provide water activities for my kids fun. Thank for such a nice ideas. Really nice blog.
Thanks Marria.
What a great collection, you could also try giant garden games such as snakes and ladders, which is great fun for all!
Thanks. Those are great ideas.
Wow! Nice ideas! Kids loved to play. Thanks for collection of such a nice games ideas. Kids must loved to play this games. Thanks for sharing with us.
Thanks Rosa. Your article looks great, too.
This is a great list. I really loved it.
Exactly. Turn off the video games and get outside!
Wow such a long list of games to play with kid’s. I remember when my grandmother ask me to play game with her and she tricks me and instead of playing anything I have to help her in Gardening, but that was fun. Spending time with her and listen to her fairy tale stories was such a great thing to do. I’m also planning to trick my nephews with this trick. lol….
Ha Ha. Good luck with that, Leona. 🙂
Great list of things to do with kids! Definitely brought back my own favorite childhood memories!
Thanks Jen! We’re glad you liked them.
Some really nice suggestion poured in this post by you. Thanks ?
Thank you, Peter. Which is your favorite?
what are some games to play with special ed people?
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Very Helpful..keep up the good work
Thank you, Meek.
This is a GREAT list of outdoor activities. Really brought back memories from our childhood!
– Nathan,
We are so glad you liked these, Nathan. Did we miss any that you love?
These fun outdoor games are suitable for kids, and they can improve their skills a lot with these games. I will try to include a few of these games at the birthday party that I am going to organize soon.
Let us know how it goes, Greg. We’d love to hear which games are your favorites.
Its very nice blog. Thanks for sharing such great information for me. I hope you will share some more information about outdoor games for kids Please keep sharing!
Thank you Aahhotep. What is your favorite outdoor game?
A great list of sports you have mentioned above. Along with these games, I want to add some more sports like Washers Game, cornhole game, disc golf, etc. People of all ages can play these games and it is great fun to play these games with our family and friends in the backyard or on the beach.
Ultimate Frisbee is also a great sport each must try.
Rest, a great article and keep sharing such informative posts on a regular basis.
Thank you, Eliza:
Those are all great outdoor games that didn’t get mentioned here, although Tom covered most of them in his article 45+ Fun Physical Activities for Kids of All Ages.
you have great contents and amazing pictures. It was fun reading your contents.
Thank you, Igbudu.
that was really good to know about. I will be looking to learn more about it.
Thank you, Roy Jason. We encourage everyone to learn more about the outdoors.
This is really very good article for us. Thank you very much for sharing this awesome article.
Thank you, Pogo. I bet I know your favorite outdoor activity!
Hi buddy,
Your ideas are really amazing. Young kids love to play outdoor. I think Kids will like it so much. It’s great fun to spend summer with kids. I like it so much. I want to provide water activities for my kid’s fun. Thank for such a nice idea. Really nice blog.
Thanks
Thank you, buddy!
These Outdoor Activities for Kids are really awesome because nowadays children are becoming lazy due to the smart devices and games which are available in the smart devices. But that went outside they will get some physical exercises that may help them to get healthy.
Thank you, Kiera.
We love these games, too. Although, I don’t think it is fair to call an entire generation lazy. My kids have to work much harder in school than I did. We set them up for the lifestyle they lead. We hope these games are part of a bigger transformation of how we, as a society, raise children and what are expectations are for them.
Thanks for sharing such a great post,
As I am very fond of tourism and have a great interest in such activities like desert safari, dune buggy, camel rock tour, off-road driving, quad biking, and Special Events. I hope you will post more about tourism.
Thank you, Sharjah. What outdoor games go best with your travels? Your kids are so lucky to have been able to do all of that.
I highly appreciate your hard-working skills as the post you published have some great information which is quite beneficial for me, I hope you will post more like that in the future
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You could add Truth Or Dare:
Rules are that one person ask to another person truth or dare and they pick one or the other and If it’s dare then you dare them to do something, It can be really fun
We play it a lot, Outside or Inside
You are right, Boss! That is a good one. A lot of the games on our Indoor Games List work great outside and some of our outdoor games can be modified to play indoors!
Nowadays, children are becoming lazy due to the smart devices and games which are available in their phones,ipads & gaming consoles. It’s really up to us on how are we going to engage them and make them realize how games and activities at home can be fun. I’ve read this good article on language activities and games you can do as a family at home.
I would disagree that children are becoming lazy, but I agree that language games are a fun way to engage kids and parents are responsible for instilling the values they find important.
Thanks for sharing the outdoor games,
Regards,
Outdoor Kash
Thank you, Kash. I ‘m glad you enjoyed them.
A great list of sports for kids you have mentioned in the blog. I actually love to play disc golf, cornhole game, washers game like sports with the kids. It is a great fun to play these games.
Thanks Eliza. You mentioned these games in November, too. Have you had a chance to check out the disc golf courses in parks around town? And we recently learned that Black Haw Park in Eagan has permanent corn hole boards. I hope you can get your family out to some of these this summer.
Nice ideas. In summer hot weather it will great fun for kids. Kids generally love to play with outdoor games. Honestly I find this concept really cool. it’s really good for spend some quality time with our beloved ones. But in this situation Online games is realy safe because is COVID 19.. All people in Quaratine and there are different activities to fight against COVID 19.
Thanks for that opinion, Daniyal. I think our kids are pretty safe in our backyards or social distancing at local parks. I’m tired of pasty white kids who play too many online games.
Waow.. this has actually relief me of some thought on how my cousins will enjoy this vacation by engaging themselves with various sport and also will be memorial one for them. i really the Backyard Ninja Warrior Course and am sure it gonna be fun.
Let us know how your Ninja Warrior Course works out Stanley. We would love to hear real-world experiences. The Pinterest pics always look really cool!
Waow.. this has actually relief me of some thought on how my cousins will enjoy this vacation by engaging themselves with various sport and also will be memorial one for them. i really the Backyard Ninja Warrior Course and am sure it gonna be fun.
That is awesome Robert. I would love to hear how your backyard ninja course goes. We never get very elaborate, but my kids have fun with anything we do.
I really appreciate you for publishing this blog here outdoor games for kids; it’s really a helpful and very useful for us. This is really appreciated that you have presented this data over here, I love all the information shared. Great article!
Thank you. We’re glad you enjoyed it.
I am glad that you shared this article. The topic is very useful to all the readers. I appreciate this very much. Great work.
Thank you. We’re glad you found it useful.
Loved reading this blog. Particularly liked the scavenger hunt idea. Apart from the benefits you’ve mentioned, it is an activity where a child can be both physically and mentally active. Also, if there are teams, it teaches kids social skills too. Wonderful suggestions to keep kids engaged and active.
Those are really good points, Logan. We love to hear about the side benefits of play!
Interesting article Joy! Playgrounds are not just fun for children. Adults have a great time too, socializing with other parents or just getting more of nature and some fresh air. Chain tag is a great teambuilding game that kids love to play.
Thanks, Paul. Chain Tag is a good addition to our outdoor arsenal!
Hey.. This is the best collection of outdoor games. This article reminds my childhood memory and i will share this amazing stuff with my friends. So we can talk about our childhood memories. Keep sharing!
Thanks Gayle. I hope you and your friends get a chance to play the games together. Wouldn’t that make a great reunion?
“Thanks for sharing the useful content
The outdoor game you have shared is so cool. I hope my kids will enjoy those. Also, we have make sure about the safety of the kids by wearing them with proper saftey goods.
Thank You!!!”
Thank you, Surain. Do your kids have a favorite outdoor game?
Amazing. Your blog is really full of innovative ideas. I have 7 & 2 years old two sons, they love outdoor games. Mostly they love ride games like the bike, cycle, scooter, these things. Every time they want a new ride. It’s becoming tough to go outside in this pandemic. Though during pandemics I always buy them from beleevDOTcom, an online shop, it’s becoming expensive. Your ideas will save me money. 🙂 Thank you.
Thank you, Nusrat. I love that you are finding some ideas for fun. I hope things start to open back up for your soon. Being stuck at home is hard on kids.
thank you for their topic
Thank you! I hope you found it useful.
Joy, you have fantastic ideas! Outdoor games are an excellent way for young children to develop social skills while also exploring their surroundings. I believe it is critical to install equipment that is both colorful and safe for children to use, as this encourages them to use it without fear.
These are good thoughts, Paul. I prefer a more sedated color scheme for my backyard, but we definitely are more attracted to the more colorful parks.
The best thing about outdoor equipment’s is that it is environment friendly. It gives you no headaches in terms of utility bills. The Gym equipment’s are very powerful and doesn’t require much maintenance. Undergoing rigorous workout sessions is not the only way to get your fitness goals achieved. You can achieve your fitness goals through outdoor gym equipment’s.
Right! And sometimes you don’t need any gear at all! Nothing beats getting outside!
Thanks for sharing this informative article.these are bestest outdoor games for children.these type of games are very benefical for children.thanks for sharing this informative info.i really want that my children play these outdoor games instead of video games on mobile………….
Thank you, Ketty. They are fun, aren’t they!
yes they are………….
Thanks, Ketty.
These games are helpful for kids. here is such a long list of games to play with kids. Outdoor games are an excellent way for young children to develop social skills while also exploring their surroundings. .love your ideas.
We totally agree and we are glad you approve.
Joy, that was quite a list! Children need to be active all through the day. Encouraging outdoor play helps them to catch some fresh air and discover more about their surroundings. Hands-on learning and local surrounding engage children’s senses. Although the list provided is impressive, my favorite childhood pastimes were climbing trees and playing soccer.
Yes! Climbing Trees should have been on this list. And Soccer is another good one. Thanks for the suggestions, Noah!
ARTICLE IS AWESOME. THESE TYPES OF GAMES ARE VERY HELPFUL FOR KIDS. I REALLY APPERICIATE YOUR EFFORTS.
Thank you, John!
Amazing ideas! I really appreciate you taking your time to create this blog. I believe it’s always good to encourage children to do outdoor activities. It is important, especially now with so many children constantly on electronics. And since we all needed to adjust to the new normal due to the pandemic, this shouldn’t stop us from introducing them into doing some outdoor activities. You can always turn your backyard into a little playground. Just get them a set of fun activities to do in the comfort of your home.
Thank you, Scott.
Thank you for sharing, I would like to know more how I can keep make my children fun. Keep sharing amazing content of yours.
Thank you, Merdeka. We hope you get to try some of these outdoor games with your children.
Joy, that was an astonishing list! Outdoor sports are essential for the development of youngsters. Running and chasing can improve physical fitness, agility, and stamina. On the other hand, jumping and running help increase bone density, muscle groups, and stability. Climbing aids in the development of coordination, balance, and strength. The best part is that kids may take in fresh air and sunlight while playing outside, which has medical benefits for both the body and the mind.
Thank you, Logan. Those are all good benefits of playing outside.