How to Play Playground Games

Gather everyone in a central location and designate one person as "it" for different tag games. A simple version is when a person tries to touch another to transfer the "it" status. Vary this game by using hiding as a tactic, using objects such as a stick to touch others, or by having a safe location where no one can be touched.

Play duck, duck, goose with at least five kids. Sit the kids in a circle, but then one person walks around the circle and pats the heads of the kids while saying either "duck" or "goose". Once the person says the word "goose", that tagged person gets up and chases the other around the circle. The original person tries to reach the safety at the goose's original sitting position.

Try out some hand games while on the playground. Kids can sing their favorite songs or rhymes and keep the beat by moving the hands in synch with another or by clapping solo.

Learn to play hopscotch with eight squares and chalk. Toss an object to land on the first square, with other squares follow in ascending order. The player hops over the square with an item in it and bends down each time to pick it up. The person is out if she doesn't throw the item in the correct square, or if the person loses her balance while picking up an item.

Play marbles on the playground by digging a small hole in the center of the playing area. Each player grabs a marble, which is called the shooter and the rest are thrown around randomly. The shooter plays by knocking the marbles in the hole and if the marble enters the hole, the marble is kept and shoots again. The person with the most marbles at the end wins.

Research other games and rules online or through books. You and your kids can learn the games together and figure out ways to creatively change them.