Nature Games
Scavenger hunts turn the backyard into a wilderness waiting to be explored. The list includes items in nature like four-leaf clovers, frogs, crickets, or other insects and certain types of plants or trees. Kids should be supervised while doing this activity so no danger exists. Give credit for finding the item but not disturbing it, such as a bird's nest or bumble bee. Another variation would be to compose a riddle for each of the items. For instance, "I'm born in the water and move to the land. I sing with my brothers at night in a band", could be a clue for a frog. The more corny the clue, the more fun for the kids.
Physical Fitness Games
Keeping physically fit is easy with an obstacle course in the backyard. Old tires laid in a pattern along with a rope suspended over a wading pool starts the fun. Time the kids for a competition. Other easy obstacles would be a plank secured onto a cinder block and a clothes line zigzagged one foot off the ground between stakes. The kids walk the plank and slide under the clothes line on their bellies. Change the direction of the course from time to time or add other features to make it more interesting or a greater challenge.
Old Fashioned Games
The hula hoop became a rage in the '70s but did you know the hoop has been a favorite for kids since the 1920s? The old fashioned game of Hoops was played with a stick and a large hoop. The hoop was a ring used to fasten barrels and the stick was any stick the child could find. The object of the game is to race the hoop from one point to another without losing control of the hoop or having it fall. The stick is used to roll the hoop and guide it along the way.
Races
Egg races, three legged races and the wheelbarrow race are all popular games with kids. Add interest by exchanging eggs for water balloons. Large ladles or serving spoons are used instead of a soup spoon. A three legged race becomes a circus event when three people are tied together instead of just two. Variations of the wheelbarrow race include only being able to hold one leg or using elbows instead of hands. Other races include a worm or insect race. Chalk lines on concrete make the race track.