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Fun Outdoor Games for Children

Staying physically fit and maintaining a healthy heart are just two of the benefits of outdoor games for children. Outdoor games offer children the opportunity to run around and get some exercise instead of being confined in an indoor setting. Playing team games outdoors teaches children how to work together toward a common goal.

Hit and Run
- Avoiding being hit by the ball is the goal for everyone in this game except for the thrower, who tries to join the lines by hitting his target. Line up the players in two lines, with the two lines facing each other approximately 30 feet apart. Choose one of the players to be the thrower. Give the thrower a playground ball, approximately one foot in diameter. When the thrower yells "go," the first player in each line must try to run to the front of the other line without being hit by the ball thrown by the thrower. Playing in front of a brick wall will allow the ball to bounce back to the thrower when he misses for another throw. The player hit by the ball becomes the next thrower. If nobody is hit, the current thrower takes another turn.
Four Square
- Moving up to the No. 1 box and protecting your position is the goal in Four Square. Draw a large box and divide it into four 8-by-8-foot squares; number the squares from one to four. Each player protects the square he is standing in from the ball. Start the game by the player in square one hitting a beach ball into the air within the playing area. Players hit the ball, attempting to land it in another player&'s square. Hitting the ball out of play or onto the ground within the boundary lines ends the round. The player who hit the ball out of play, or had the ball land in his square during play, moves to square one. Move the players up one square in number to cover the square left vacant by the player who moved to square one. The player standing in square one after a pre-determined amount of playing time elapses is the winner.
Kings and Queens
- Being the last player to join the "it team" by avoiding being hit by the ball is the goal in Kings and Queens. Play Kings and Queens with a group of players, with one being "it" and having a tennis ball, and the rest referred to as the "non-its". The last player remaining on the "non-its" wins. Hitting a player with the tennis ball anywhere but above her shoulders or on his fists makes her part of the "it team." Passing the ball among players on the "it team" is permitted. Deflecting the tennis ball using closes fists is how "non-its" can defends themselves from throws.

Kids Games