Kids outdoor games, though dependant on the weather, when you get the chance they are a much better way of spending time with your kids. For the outdoor games ideas listed below, you don’t need to have a big backyard, as you can play them in your local park. Plus playing games outdoors means you have more space for you and your kids to run about it, less obstacles and breakables than indoors and it’s easier to tidy up at the end of the day!
These games can be played at a party or anytime your kids are looking for something to do. And all the running around is not only loads of fun but good exercise as well. If you are looking for outdoor party games you can easily tweak these games to suit the theme of the party.
Kids Outdoor Games Ideas: Musical Statues
This is a simple game, no prep required and best played outdoors where you have a bit more space as long as you have a portable radio or stereo.
- The players stand in an area with some space around them.
- One person is chosen as the judge and starts the music.
- Everyone must start dancing to the music, the more energetic the better.
- Then at a random point the judge stops the music and all the played must freeze and hold their pose just like a statue!
- The judge will then need to walk in and amongst the players to look out for any movement.
- Any player the judge notices moving, however slight, is out of the game.
- Then the judge starts the music again and repeats the steps above, until one person is left and they are the winner.
Tweaks to use this as a childrens party game:
1. Choose the music to suit the theme of the kids birthday party.
2. As the game progresses the kids and adults must dance even more enthusiastically, to make it more of a challenge to stop still as soon as the music stops!
3. You could also make it so that the players must stop still in a pose that matches the theme of the party.
Kids Outdoor Games Ideas: Relay Races
In a relay race, the runners must work as a team to win. This game will require a little preparation and a lot of space.
Preparation:
- Divide your players into team of equal size and if adults are playing, try to get split them equally in the teams.
- Decide on the relay race course and split it into the same number of sections as there are players on the teams.
- Mark out starting and finishing lines clearly.
- Also mark out the different sections of the race – again mark these points clearly with brightly colored items such as a bunch of balloons.
- Get the each player to take their place along the course, at the starting point and the start of each of the section they are going to be running.
- The starting runners should be given an item such as a stick or baton.
- Check that everyone knows that they can start only running from their start line of their section once their team-mate has crossed this line and hands over the baton to them.
To play the relay race:
- Have one person to start the race with: “On your marks, get set, go!”
- Then the starting line runners start running to the next team-mate along the course.
- When they pass the line of the next section, they should hand over the baton to the next runner.
- This continues along the track, from section to section until the last runners run to the finishing line.
- The winning team is the one who’s last runner crosses the finishing line first.
Tweaks to use this as a childrens party game:
1. Instead of a baton use an item to match the theme of the kids birthday party.
2. Use themed items to mark the sections of the relay race track.
More Childrens Party Game Ideas
For more party game ideas for kids. See also:
Outdoor & Indoor Scavenger Hunt Riddles.
Outdoor & Indoor Treasure Hunt Games for Kids UK.
Mystery Games & Detective Activities for Kids.