5 Outdoor Games to Play with your Kids

I fondly have a memory of it being dark, there were a lot of woods, and people were hiding. It was hot and sticky outside, and we were sweating. We were hiding and trying not to breath or laugh. Everyone had the anticipation of wondering if they were going to be found. Then we were running and trying to not get caught…..laughing and never forgetting this moment. Today I share with you 5 Outdoor Games to Play with your Kids

Did you have a favorite outdoor game to play growing up?  Hide and seek that I talked about above with my youth group from church was one of my favorites. Today I want to share some of the games I played outdoors when I was young and still play with my kids today.

I am hoping my kids will grow to love these games as much as I did. Maybe you will find a new game here to play with your kids too, or you have one to share with us.

If you have a game you’d like to share please let us know in the comments below so we can have fun and play too!

5 Outdoor Games to Play with your Kids

1. Glow Stick Hide-and-Seek: This is a take on the classic game of hide-and-seek. Each participant has a glow stick necklace (purchased at the dollar store). Playing the game after dark each participant (except for the one person seeking) hides. This is where the glow sticks make it fun! The seeker goes to find the hiders, and when they find the hiders, the hiders can run to a redesignated safe place if they aren’t caught first. It is so much fun to see the glow sticks running across the yard. If the hiders are caught they have to help the seeker find the other players.  The first person caught will be the next seeker for the next round.

2. Kick the Can: I first heard of this game when I lived on a military base and one of the kids wanted to play this game. It is kind of like hide-and-seek as well. All of the kids on our street loved playing this game.  Here is a full explanation about how to play the game Kick the Can.

3. Four Square: This is a game that my children play now at their youth group and they love it. You basically just need some of the white plumbers pipe or some duct tape. You can read how to play here.

4. Red Rover: This was my favorite game growing up. When someone said Red Rover everyone was ready to play. To play you need to line two lines of equal amounts of people across from each other. Each line of people will hold hands as tight as they can. One side will start off singing “Red Rover, Red Rover we dare (someone’s name from the other side) to come over”. Someone from the calling side will call someone’s name from the other line of people. That person will then run towards the calling side and try to break through the other sides line of people. If they aren’t successful in breaking through they will add themselves to the end to the calling sides line. If they are able to break through that person will get to pick someone from the opponents line and take them back over to their line of people. Whoever ends up with all the people at the end of the game wins. Just make sure to warn everyone to be nice and not hurt anyone. There can be injuries playing this game.

5. Horse: This game requires a basketball court and basketball. Each person will take turns shooting fun and creative shots. If the person shooting makes the basket the person after them must make the same shot from the same place and in the same way the shooter who made the shot first. If the second shooter misses they earn a H. you go all the way until some reaches H-O-R-S-E. Once someone reaches HORSE they are out. You keep playing until there is one player left. My kids like to make up their own words to use as well, so have fun with it!

Just remember that you are making moments your children will remember when you play games together. So have fun no matter what games you play, and be intentional with setting time apart from the everyday grind and make these memories with your kids!

Share with us your favorite game to play outdoors in the comments below!

Also find more family fun games with our Homeschool Days Blog Hop below!