Family games are a great way to get the whole family moving. Your kids will love that you are willing to spend time with them outdoors, and you can enjoy the fresh air and sunshine. Possibly the best part of outside games, though, is that making messes is okay.
If you’re bored of the same old games over and over, try one of these.
Games With Basic or No Equipment
These games are easy to play and quick to get started, with almost no setup time.
Balloon Stomp
All you need for this game is a pack of balloons and some string or yarn. Tie a balloon to each ankle of every player. Have everyone spread out across the yard and count down from 10. At 0, start running to try and stomp on the other players’ balloons while protecting your own. Once both of your balloons are popped, you’re out of the game. The winner is the last person left with a balloon.
Captain’s Coming
This game is like Simon Says, but with a twist. The captain calls out orders to the crew, which they must obey as quickly as possible. The last crewmate to follow the captain’s command is out. You can use premade orders or come up with your own. Get into character with this pirate adventure game for an afternoon of fun!
Memory Moves
Dancing games like Memory Moves are a great way to get kids moving without thinking about it. Set up your phone or speaker to play your favorite songs. One person starts by doing a dance move of their choice. The next player must do the first dance move and then add one of their own.
On each player’s turn, they dance the moves that came before them in order and then add one. If they miss a move or dance out of order, they’re out of the game. The process repeats until only one person can remember the whole dance sequence.
Doggy Doggy, Where’s Your Bone
If you have young kids who like pretending to be animals, they might really get into this one. One player is the doggy and turns their back on the rest of the group. While they’re turned away, another player will sneak up and steal the dog’s bone. When the doggy turns around, everyone pretends like they’re the one hiding the bone. It’s the doggy’s job to guess who stole it.
What you use for the bone doesn’t really matter. Use your imagination. You could use a cardboard cutout, a dog treat, or an actual bone. Change the theme entirely and use a banana to play Monkey Monkey, Where’s Your Banana. The sky’s the limit.
Snake Bite/Helicopter
You only need a jump rope or some rope for this game. This game has many names, so use your judgment when introducing it to your kids. Some would love to call it Snake Bite, whereas other kiddos might be scared if you call it that.
The premise of Snake Bite is simple. One player spins in a circle, swinging the rope along the ground. The players on the outside take turns jumping over the rope when it gets to them. If they mistime their jump and get bitten by the snake, they are out. If you want a winner, end the game when only one person is left. Alternatively, play the game until the snake has bitten everyone.
Floor Is Lava: Playground Edition
As a parent, there’s probably no way you avoided the floor-is-lava obsession. You probably even played it yourself as a kid. But have you ever played it on playground equipment? Visit your nearest park and get set to have some big-time fun. Choose a playground that allows parents on the equipment if you want to join in.
Your whole family will have a blast with this one. Decide on starting and ending points for the game and see who can make it through the fastest while not touching the ground.
You may need to set some safety rules based on what you feel is appropriate for your children’s ages and abilities. Kids will build their problem-solving and balance trying to win this game.
Games to Make
These games will take some more prep time, but the fun is worth it.
Obstacle Course
You don’t need to buy anything fancy for an obstacle course. You most likely already have plenty of supplies around the house or outside that you can use. Set up a course that tests their balance and agility, keeping your kids’ ages in mind.
Make an obstacle course even more fun by giving it a theme. Pretend your kids are pirates, fairies, animals, or spies, and see how that changes the way they play. You could even chime in as a host for Ninja Warrior or as a drill instructor.
Mini-Golf
If your kids are old enough, let them help you set this one up. Use cups as your holes. Drive a nail through the cup into the dirt to help them stay a bit better. You can get as creative with this as you would like. Set up obstacles with household items.
You can even buy mini-golf sets if you aren’t feeling up to making your own. These can be used as-is or they could be a jumping-off point for a larger, more intricate course.
Lawn Twister
This game is relatively straightforward to set up. You will need spray paint in four different colors, a cardboard box, scissors, and a ruler. Cut a large hole in the bottom of the box. This will be your stencil for the Twister board spaces. Using your ruler or tape measure, place the box at even intervals and spray the colors inside, completely filling in the circle. Continue until you’ve recreated a traditional Twister mat.
Gameplay works the same as the original game. Use a spinner you have or make one of your own. If you feel extra fancy, you could even make your own giant die with the coordinating colors on it. Get a square-shaped box and cover each side with a different color of construction paper.
Nothing Can Beat Imagination
At the end of the day, your children’s imagination will make the best games. Sometimes having activities with fixed rules is handy, but save some time to let them come up with their own unique adventures as well. You never know where that creativity will take you.
