Monday, April 8, 2013

Out Door Games!

Giant Slip 'n' Slide

Make your own slip 'n' slide by laying out a tarp, spraying it down with water, then letting the hose continue to run on top of the slide. Take turns running across your lawn, then sliding across the tarp for a slippery, exciting game.

2FlashlightFlashlight Tag

Best played after the sun goes down, flashlight tag is the perfect outdoor game for late-night birthday or block parties. One player is designated "it" and is given a flashlight. The other players hide. When "it" finds a hidden player, he shines the light on the hider and the hider then becomes "it." The original "it" then hides, and the game continues.

3Jump Rope Challenge

Give each player a plastic cup filled with water. Start spinning a large jump rope. One at a time, each child must attempt to enter the rope and jump three times, all while spilling as little water as possible. The child with the most water left in his cup wins the game.

4Hole in the Bucket

Fill up a large trashcan with water and place two empty trashcans about 40 feet away. Split kids into two teams and give each team an empty milk carton with 10 to 12 holes in the bottom. When you say "go," the first player from each team fills her carton with water, then places it on her head while she walks or runs to her team's empty trashcan. She empties the remaining water into the trashcan, then runs back, passing the carton to the next player. The first team to fill its trashcan with water wins the game.

5Sticks & Stones

If you have a sizable group of kids, playing sticks and stones will make them laugh while also tiring them out. Split the kids into two teams -- the sticks and the stones. Line them up facing one another. Designate an area roughly 30 feet behind each team as that teams' safe zone. To start the game, yell out "sticks" or "stones." The team you call on must begin chasing the opposing team, which begins racing toward its safe zone. Any tagged players must switch teams, and the two new teams line up to play again. The team to bring all the players to its side wins the game.

6Shoebox Relays

Shoebox
Split the kids into two teams. Each team gets two shoeboxes. Tape the lids onto the shoe boxes and cut an "I" shape into the top of the box, with a four-inch slit and two one-inch slits. Have the first player from each team slip her feet into the shoeboxes. When you say "go" the players wearing the shoeboxes have to run from the starting line to a designated spot, then back again. Players pass the shoeboxes to their waiting teammates, and the relay continues until all the players have participated and a winning team is crowned.

6Blind Man's Walk

Set up a simple obstacle course in your yard and let all the kids examine the course. One at a time, blindfold the kids and let them work their way through the obstacle course. The child to make it through the fastest wins the game.

8500

If your kids love sports and want to play catch with a twist, introduce them to the game of 500. Give one child a football and have him stand about 20 feet in front of the remaining children. The child with the ball throws it up into the air toward the waiting players while calling out a number between 50 and 500. The player to catch the ball earns the number of points called, but if she drops the ball, she loses those points. The first player to accumulate 500 points becomes the next thrower.


Backyard bowling

Bowling is always fun, but who wants to be cooped up in a bowling alley when it’s gorgeous outside? Bowl right in your backyard for a fun time with your family. Pick up an outdoor bowling set at most stores where toys are sold or easily make your own. Collect 10 2-liter bottles and use them for your pins. Use any ball you have (basketballs work great) as your bowling ball. Put a few inches of water at the bottom of each bottle for weight. If you want to get fancy, make a family project out of painting the bottles, either to resemble actual bowling pins or with any design you like.

Check out backyard games to keep kids entertained >>

Sprinkler dash

Set up several sprinklers across the yard, and have one person try to run across the yard without getting hit with water. Let players who aren’t the runner operate the sprinklers, turning them off and on, while the runner tries to surprise them with their direction. The winner is the person who can go the longest without getting wet.

Flashlight tag

It’s always fun and exciting for kids to play outside when it’s dark. Indulge them with a game of flashlight tag. One person is designated as "It" and given a flashlight. "It" then closes his eyes and counts to a predetermined number while everyone else hides. Once he arrives at the number, "It" takes off in search of everyone else and tries to shine the flashlight on anyone he finds. The first person to find themselves in the beam of the flashlight becomes the next "It."

8 Fun outdoor games for kids >>

Blind obstacle course

Set up several large objects across your yard. Anything works -- try patio furniture, lawn chairs, big buckets, wheelbarrows, outside toys and anything else you can find. Once everything is scattered, bring everyone outside to study the obstacle course you created. One by one, blindfold each player and let them try to cross the yard without bumping into an obstacle. The player to get the farthest is the winner.

Water Limbo

Everyone knows how to play Limbo. This is the same game, but with water instead of a Limbo stick. Play some fun music and get everyone dancing. Then have one player (an adult would be best) hold a water hose. Adjust the spray so you have a straight stream, and hold it at about shoulder-level for most of the players. Keep getting lower and lower, until the last dry player remains. The game probably won’t last very long on a hot day, because you’ll find many of the players are hitting the water on purpose to cool off.

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