Cheap Fun Games for Kids

Outdoor Games

• Tag: One child is "it" and must chase the other children around in an outdoor area trying to tag or tap another child. When he tags someone, the other child becomes "it" and must chase the children trying to touch another child.

  Capture the Flag: Two teams each have their own "territories" in a yard or other outdoor area. Each team has a flag or item representing a flag that it will hide in its own territory. Once each flag is hidden, the teams try to find the opponent's flag while protecting their own flag. The game ends when one team captures the other's flag and brings it back to its own territory.

Free Indoor Games

• Honey, Do You Love Me?: Children sit or stand in a circle, and one person in the middle of the circle is "it." The child in the middle approaches another child and asks, "Honey, do you love me?" The other child must answer back, "Honey, I love you, but I just can't smile," without cracking a smile. The child in the middle continues asking the question to others until someone smiles or laughs. That person then becomes "it." The person who is "it" can make faces and noises, but cannot touch another person. The game can end at any time.

  Hide the Thimble: One person hides a thimble or other small household item in a room. The seekers then enter the room and try to be the first one to find the thimble. This game can be very easy or very difficult depending on the children's ages. The hider can give hints if necessary.

Inexpensive Indoor Games

• Aces in the Pot: Each player gets two chips and takes turns rolling a set of two dice. The goal is to be the last player holding a chip. Upon rolling the dice, players want to avoid ones and sixes. When a one is rolled, a player must put a chip in the pot, or center of the table. When a six is rolled, the player must pass a chip to the left. As each player runs out of chips, he is out of the game unless passed a chip. When the last chip remains, the person holding it must roll the dice three times without getting a six. If a six is rolled, she passes the chip and that person must do the same.

  Slapjack: Deal the entire deck out to the players. Each player flips over a card and places it in the center of the table. Players take turns doing this until a jack is played, when the first player to slap his hand over the jack gets the pile and adds it to his own. The player to get all the cards wins.