List of Outdoor Games for School Aged Children

Games with Balls

• Divide the children into groups of three and give each team a ball, such as a volleyball, beach ball or soccer ball. Two players must stand 10 feet apart and the third player must stand in the middle. The two outside players must throw the ball back and forth, while the middle player tries to catch it. When the middle player catches the ball, the player who threw the ball must go to the middle and he stands in his place. This game has no winners or losers so just play until the children are ready for something new. For another game with balls, have the players select a partner and give each pair a volleyball or soccer ball. Have the pairs stand facing each other six feet apart. The players must toss the ball to their partner. If the partner catches the ball, they are still in the game and both must take a giant step back. If they do not catch the ball, they are out of the game. Each time a team catches the ball they must take a step back. The team who can toss the ball the farthest distance and catch it wins the game.

Games with Beanbags

• For an easy game, give each child a beanbag and have her balance it on her head. See who can balance the beanbag on her head the longest; see who can walk or run the farthest distance with the beanbag on her head. For a harder game, have the children balance the bag on their head. Give the children another bag and tell them to place it on top of the other beanbag. Keep giving the children more and more beanbags. The last player standing with all the beanbags wins the game.

Games with Plastic Bottles

• Paint 10 two-liter bottles with different colors of paint or paint them to resemble bowling pins. Place the bottles on the ground in a pyramid shape like bowling pins. Divide the players into two teams and mark a standing line 15 feet from the pins. Each player rolls two tennis balls at the pins to try to knock them down. The team who knocks down the most pins wins the game. For a variation, play the game individually and give each player three rolls. The player who knocks down the most pins wins the game.

Relay Games

• The children can compete in a variety of relay races individually, such as running, hopping, skipping, bear crawling, crab walking and running backwards. For team relay races, divide the players into two teams. Mark a starting line and a run-to line. Give the first player in each team line a ball. When you say "Go," the first player in each line must run with the ball to the run-to line and run back to hand the ball to the next player in line. Each player must do the same thing. The first team to finish the relay race wins the game.