Fun Outdoor Games for Kids

Participation in physical activities is a must for every child. Outdoor games and activities are not only good for the body, but are also excellent for the mental health of a child. They are great stress busters which contribute immensely to a child's socialization. While participating in outdoor activities, a child learns to compete, interact and be comfortable in the company of his peers. Moreover, no video game can be as engaging and interesting as these outdoor games mentioned below.

Nature Treasure Hunt
The ideal location for this game is the countryside or a picnic spot. To play this group game for kids, divide them into groups of five or more. Next, give each of the groups papers, pencils and colors. Give them a list of things that they have to either get or draw on their papers. The list can include items such as a yellow leaf, pink flower, a feather, the heaviest object around, a smooth stone, any specific bird, etc. The group which comes back with all the things listed in minimum time is the winner.

Footwear Fun
This is a fun game that can be played at parties. To play this game, instruct the kids to take off their footwear. Have them make two piles of shoes, with their left footwear in one and the right ones in the other. Mark a starting line around fifty feet away from these piles and ask the kids to stand there. Meanwhile, mix the piles of shoes. When you whistle, the kids have to run towards both the piles, find their shoes, wear them and come back to the starting line. The one who reaches the starting line first is the winner of this outdoor party game for kids.

Blindfolded Race
To play this game, one of the children in a pair is blindfolded and stands at the starting line while the other one stands near the finish line. As soon as you whistle, the blindfolded kids start walking/running towards the finish line. There are obstacles kept in the path in the form of small stones which the blindfolded kid can not step on. Their partner has to give instructions like "take a long step" or "go left" or "go right", every time they come near a stone. If the blindfolded kid steps on any of the stones, he has to start the race all over again. This interesting game is not only enjoyable, but teaches children to trust others and work as a team.

Balloon Burst
Divide the children into two teams. You will need balloons of two different colors for this game. Assign one color to each team. Next, with a ribbon, tie four balloons, two on each arm, of a child. Two of the balloons should be of his own team color while two should be of the opposite team. Play some music to which the children dance to. As soon as the music is stopped, the children have to try to burst balloons on other's hands which are of opposite team colors, at the same time, they have to save their own team's balloons! The game is carried on for about ten minutes, after which the team which is able to save more of its balloons is declared the winner!

Besides the ones mentioned above, other easy games are "hide and seek", "Simon says", "red light green light", "musical chairs", "balloon tossing", etc. In fact all the sports, be it soccer, football, basketball, baseball, swimming or cycling serve as excellent team building games for kids. Include any of these outdoor games and activities in the kids' daily schedule so that they can learn team work, leadership skills, improve upon their reasoning and at the same time stay in shape!