Outdoor games for kids

Safety first

Check the ground before you play. Look for holes, glass, slippery patches and anything sharp. Keep shoes on for every game, and choose a day and time when the ground is dry. Bring water, take shade breaks and stop for a rest whenever anyone is tired. Stay where a grown-up can see you at all times, and agree on the edges of the play area before the first turn. Keep well away from roads, car parks, ponds, drains, steps and balcony or terrace edges, and never chase anyone toward them. Never look at the sun. Younger children need a grown-up right beside them; older ones still need one nearby.

1. Shadow tag

Players: 3 or more players, ages 5 and up.

You need: a sunny, open patch of ground and nothing else.

1. Play in the morning or late afternoon, when shadows are long. Never look at the sun; keep your eyes on the ground.
2. One player is the chaser. To tag someone, the chaser steps on their shadow. Nobody needs to touch anyone.
3. A tagged player becomes the next chaser. Shadows hide in the shade, so agree where the shady edge of the game is.
4. Walk fast or jog.

Notice: What shape did your shadow make when you stretched, crouched or turned sideways?

2. Statue freeze chase

Players: 4 or more players, ages 4 and up.

You need: a flat, clear area with no hard objects in it.

1. Choose one chaser. Everyone else moves around the space.
2. The chaser calls "Statue!" at any moment, and everyone freezes in a pose, however silly.
3. The chaser walks among the statues and can tag only players who are moving. A tag is a light tap on the shoulder.
4. Anyone tagged helps call the next "Statue!".

Notice: Which pose was the hardest to hold still, and which was the funniest?

3. Follow-the-leader trail

Players: 2 or more players, ages 3 and up.

You need: a safe path, lawn or terrace, and a grown-up who has checked it first.

1. The leader walks a winding trail and adds a simple move every few steps: clap twice, hop, tiptoe, spin slowly or wave to a tree.
2. Everyone behind copies the leader exactly, staying a couple of steps back so nobody bumps into anyone.
3. Keep the trail away from roads, ponds, drains, steps and balcony edges. A grown-up decides where the trail may go.
4. Swap leaders when the trail ends.

Notice: Which move was easy to copy, and which one needed a second look?

4. Leaf-and-stone collecting relay

Players: 2 teams of 2 or more, ages 5 and up.

You need: one paper bag or tray for each team.

1. Mark a start line and a turning spot. A grown-up checks the ground first and removes anything sharp or dirty.
2. Each runner walks briskly to the turning spot and picks up one fallen leaf or one small stone that is already lying on the ground, then brings it back to the team tray.
3. Never pick anything from a plant or a flower, and never pull bark or dig. If a thing is alive, hidden or attached, leave it.
4. When the time is up, count each team's finds. Then everyone carries every leaf and stone back and leaves it where it was found.

Notice: How many different kinds of leaf did your team find, and what made them different?

5. Colour-hunt walk

Players: 1 or more players, ages 3 and up.

You need: your eyes, and optionally a grown-up to call the colours.

1. Before you set off, the grown-up names a colour, such as green, red or yellow.
2. Everyone walks and looks for something of that colour, such as a bench, a sign, a flower seen from the path or a passing kite. Look, point and say; do not pick or touch.
3. When everyone has spotted something, the grown-up calls the next colour.
4. Finish by telling your favourite find. For a gentler version, see our nature walk activities.

Notice: Which colour showed up the most, and which one was hardest to find?

6. Sock toss into the bucket

Players: 2 or more players, ages 3 and up.

You need: a bucket or basket and a few pairs of clean socks, each rolled into a ball.

1. Put the bucket on flat ground, away from paths, steps and edges. Mark a throwing line with a stick, a shoe or a scarf.
2. Players stand behind the line and toss rolled socks underarm, one at a time. Throw only toward the bucket, never toward people or animals.
3. Count how many land inside. Take a step back after each round, or a step closer for younger players.
4. A grown-up gathers the socks between turns.

Notice: What helped your toss land in the bucket: a gentle swing, a slow release or a closer line?

More to do on Rangooo

Plan a party with birthday party games, explore a park slowly with nature walk activities, grow a few pots with balcony gardening for kids, get messy with sand and mud play, draw a course with chalk games, follow your shadow with sunshine and shadow activities, settle in for family game night, browse more stories and activities, or see resources for teachers.

Questions

How many children do these games need?

Shadow tag needs three or more children, statue freeze chase four or more, and the collecting relay two teams of two or more. The trail game, the colour hunt and the sock toss also work with one child and a grown-up taking turns.

What age are these games for?

Most suit ages four to nine. Younger children can join with a grown-up beside them, while older children can lead the trail, set the colour list or keep the score in a notebook.

Can we play on a terrace or a small garden?

Yes, if the space has a safe edge. Choose the trail, colour hunt and sock toss for small areas, and keep chasing games for open ground. Stay well back from balcony and terrace edges, and keep gates and steps in mind.

What if the ground is wet or very hot?

Wait for dry ground, since wet grass and tiles can be slippery. On hot days play in shade or later in the day, wear shoes, bring water and stop for a rest whenever anyone asks.