The backyard has plenty of playtime value, especially in the summer! Since it’s National Backyard Games Week, get your family outside and have fun with some of these awesome backyard games.
Get them running with different variations of tag! – There are lots of variations of tag, and when the traditional game loses its charm, try an alternative! Get some clothes-pins and have the children pin them on their clothes. Tell them to snag as many clothes pin as they can from other players and pin them to their own clothes. Whoever has the most wins! Or play “Everybody’s It!” Mark the boundaries and let everyone try to tag each other. If a child is tagged, have them step out of bounds and do 10 jumping jacks to get back in the game!
Build them an obstacle course! – This one takes some effort on your part, but obstacle courses will let your kids get out all their energy before dinner time. You can always make it a group activity too, by naming one child the runner and one child the timer.
Send them out on a scavenger hunt! – Scavenger hunts are a great way to keep your kids busy outside for a long time. Either make your own objectives or send them out with a list of things to look for in the backyard or around the neighborhood. For older kids with cell phones, have them snap a picture as proof that they found the item on their list!
Let them play out in the sprinklers! – There are tons of games to play with your sprinkler, and chances are your kids will enjoy simply running around them. But offer them the challenge of avoiding the sprinkler’s spray and see how long they can go without getting wet.
Catch the Dragon’s Tail! – This game works best with 4 or more children, and it requires a rag or “tail”. Line up the children and give the rag to the last child in line to complete the “dragon”. The goal is for the first child in line to grab the “tail” off the “dragon”. When this is accomplished, that child becomes the new “tail” and the game continues. With bigger groups, this game can be played with two dragons, and the first team to cycle through every player as the head wins!
