7 Incredibly Enjoyable Games For Kids
Outdoor games eh? Do the smartphone-savvy, tablet-friendly, hi-tech kids of today know about going out to play?
Yes, they do!
All we need to do is introduce them to a few outdoor games that we played as children, add some more ‘intelligent’ ones for them to improve upon, and we’re set. The idea is to convince them that playing outdoors is anytime more fun than breaking our heads over electronic games.
So, how do you do that?
RELATED: How To Engage Children – The Essential Guide
Before we enlist a few outdoor games, let’s first quickly learn how to engage children outside.
The new generation kids do not have the patience for boredom which is why:
- outdoor games must be fun and engaging
- games that we play outdoors should allow them to use their intelligence because that’s what attracts them to electronic gadgets
- outdoor games must be fast-paced and unique, much like their electronic counterparts
If these points sound too intimidating and stressful for you, we suggest you relax. All the traditional games that we’ve ever played outdoors can be tweaked and customised to suit our new-age children. So, sit back and read on:
7 ideas for outdoor games for your child to have fun!
1. Tag, you’re it!
Ever heard of the Hindi idiom bali ka bakra? It simply means scapegoat. This one is a child-friendly and funny version of trying to ‘tag’ one person as the scapegoat.
How do you play this game?
- A minimum of three players is required to play this outdoor game.
- By toss or mutual agreement, one person (the first scapegoat!) goes first. He/she closes his/her eyes and counts to 10 while the others spread out in the open area. All players need to be visible to the person who is counting, so the distance between the players and the raider cannot be too much.
- If your child is counting first, ensure that the distance between him/her and you is minimal at first. We want them to be involved, not scared!
- Once the counting is done, the raider needs to run and catch another person to tag. Tagging is done by patting only at the back. Tapping at any other part of the body is not accepted. This is what makes this game a little challenging and fun.
- The next person to be tagged has to then run around to catch another person to tag. The game stops when every person has been tagged at least once.
- The person tagged the most number of times loses the game.
Make the game flexible and customize the rules for your child as and when you want. It’s your game at the end of the day!
How do you play this game?
- Using chalk, draw the hopscotch pattern on any concrete floor outside. If you’re playing on sand, use a stick to draw the outline.
- Usually, hopscotch is a numbered pattern where each box pattern is numbered from 1 to 9 or 10.
- Taking turns, each participant throws a small pebble so that it stays within the boundary of a numbered box. As the game progresses, each player hops from one box to another. Whoever reaches the highest level (throwing the pebble in the box with the highest number), wins.
What’s the twist?
- The person to have reached the highest level gets to draw another box, with the next higher number, for the other players to cover before they can win. So basically, the winner is making it tough for the others to win.
Let your child win this one and add as many numbered boxes as he/she wants. A sneaky way to practise numbers, no?
2. Traffic on the road
This one is for the little boys and girls who enjoy pretend-play. We indulge in quite a few pretend-play activities indoors like playing house, doctor, and chef; so this one is for outdoors.
How do you play this game?
- Within a team of minimum three players, taking turns, assign a player to play the cop and other players will pretend to be vehicles.
- You can take the role of a pedestrian.
- Use handmade craft traffic lights to play this game.
- The policeman directs traffic and stops vehicles to let pedestrians go and vice versa.
- Play in an open and safe place so that the pretend traffic has enough space to navigate.
- It’s a fun way to teach children about road rules as well.
A twist!
You can let kids use their toy cars, bikes, or any other vehicle that they own and let them experience a pretend day on the pretend road!
3. Marble pond game
This game needs a little preparation and can be played as an indoor or outdoor game. However, playing it outdoors, especially in a garden, means more fun and less mess.
How do you play this game?
- Place several marbles in a huge bucket or tub and fill it with water. You can use a toy swimming pool as well.
- The person who gets the most marbles out of the water in a minute’s time wins!
The rush to hunt for the marbles and the messy play with water makes this game a riot of giggles. Don’t agree? Try it on a hot summer evening and see!
4. Run…statue!
Don’t move or you’re out.
The run and statue game is a favourite among outdoor games that kids like to play.
How do you play this game?
- By toss or mutual agreement, one player goes first.
- He/she is supposed to say ‘statue’ when everyone is running all over the place. As soon as the word ‘statue’ is said, the runners have to stop immediately. The smallest movement and you’re out!
It’s best if a parent says statute and lets the kids run around. I’m sure we and the kids, both prefer that!
5. Cat and mouse chase
Looking for easy outdoor games? Nothing beats this one!
The catch-me-if-you-can game is probably older than the Ramayana and is always fun to play. Within a group of two or more kids, one kid needs to catch the other(s) and whoever gets caught first, runs and catches the others. We keep running and catching like cats and mice.
This can be a never-ending game till mom calls us inside and curfew begins!
6. I sent a letter to my father and on the way I dropped it
Except that the letter is more of a piece of cloth.
This is one of those outdoor games in which children of all ages can be involved. The players keep singing the song as they play.
‘I sent a letter to my father
On the way I dropped it,
Somebody came and picked it up
And put it in his pocket.’
Is that you? Is that you?
I sent a letter…
How do you play this game?
- The players sit in a circle and there is no limit to the number of players that we can include.
- By toss or mutual agreement, one child starts to run outside the circle with a small piece of cloth (the size of a hanky) in his/her hands.
- The person who is running has everyone’s back facing him/her.
- While running, the runner has to drop the hanky behind anyone and tap the person’s back to indicate the letter delivered.
- The player who now has the hanky has to run and catch the first player (who dropped the hanky behind him/her) before he/she finds a place to sit within the circle.
The game continues until everyone has had a chance to drop the letter or when players are too tired of playing!
7. Treasure hunt with flags
This is the conventional treasure hunt, but with a twist.
How do you play this game?
- Get kids to make paper flags beforehand.
- Choose a comparatively large area/field to play this outdoor game in.
- Place flags and mark different corners of the playing area as castle, garden, treasure bank, pond and so on. This is a pretend play so you have to imagine the various landscapes even though they’re not actually there.
- Make a map on a piece of chart that shows on which corner the treasure bank can be found. This will be a very basic map in which ‘X’ marks the treasure spot.
- This game is best played in a large area so that one needs to run to reach from one marked area to another. Once a person reaches the treasure, he/she wins.
What’s the twist?
- The person who reaches the treasure first tries to safeguard it. Other players will try and reach the treasure by reaching the point and placing a flag on the spot while the first person tries to stop them by blocking their way (but one person can’t stop so many people at once, no?)
- Once all players have been able to plant their flags on the treasure, the game stops or you can play rounds till everyone gets a chance to save the treasure.
This game can go on and on till the tummy calls for a fabulous post-play meal! Ready to play?