20 Exciting Outdoor Games That Will Keep Kids Playing For Hours!
These exciting outdoor games help you say goodbye to screens and hello to epic adventures and endless laughter!
Whether it’s a wild game of tag, a silly relay race, or a thrilling treasure hunt, these outdoor games will keep kids moving and making unforgettable memories.
So grab some friends, head outside, and let the fun begin!
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20 Wildly Entertaining Outdoor Games to Play
1. Hide & Seek
Hide and Seek starts with one player who is “It.” This person closes their eyes and counts to a predetermined number while the other players hide. Once the counting is finished, they open their eyes and begin searching for the hidden players.
Sardines is the reverse! One person hides, and everyone searches. When someone finds them, they hide together until only one seeker remains.
2. Fun Outdoor Scavenger Hunt
This exciting 4th of July scavenger hunt doesn’t have to be just for the holiday. Follow the outdoor clues leading to a treasure for a fun-filled adventure – anytime of year!
3. Dodgeball
Dodgeball is a fast-paced game where two teams throw balls at each other while dodging incoming throws.
Players are eliminated if hit by a ball or if an opponent catches their throw. But if you catch a ball, you bring an eliminated teammate back into the game. The team that eliminates all opponents or has the most players left at the end wins.
4. Fill The Bottle Relay
Supplies: Empty water or Gatorade bottle, Plastic cups, Water
How to Play:
- Divide into teams. Each team has a bucket of water and plastic cup.
- One player for each team lays on their back at the end of the relay and places an empty water or Gatorade bottle on their forehead.
- Players race to fill up their empty team’s bottle as fast as possible! (The person holding the empty bottle WILL get wet!)
Find more exciting water games to cool off outside >>
5. Red Light, Green Light: Animal Edition
Turn the classic Red light (kids stop), Green light (kids go!) into an animal version. Kids move like different animals when the light is green.
Simon says is another great game you can take outdoors and theme to animals, movie characters, and more!
6. Water Balloon Battles
Is it hot outside? Cool off with water balloon fun!
Fill up a bucket of balloons, divide into teams, and enjoy some splashing fun in the backyard. It’s an inexpensive way to keep everyone entertained.
7. Over, Under, Through
This game can be played with a hula hoop OR by just holding hands with 3 kids per group.
Two kids hold the hula hoop and the third child follows the direction that is called out.
- Over: Step over the hula hoop
- Under: Go under the hula hoop
- Through: Go through the hula hoop
Once kids understand the directions, call out a variation of the words.
Examples: “Under, through, over,” or under, through, through.” You don’t have to use all three directions each round.
An entire round is over when each child in the group has done the three directions. Kids have to work together to figure out how to get everyone over, under, and through the fastest.
The first team to finish and sit down wins! Switch up teams and keep playing!
8. Tag
Tag is a classic outdoor game where one player is “it” and chases the others, trying to tag them. Once tagged, the player becomes “it,” and the game continues. There are no winners—just endless running and fun!
Here are a few fun variations too!
Tagged players must freeze in place until a teammate unfreezes them by touching them. The game continues until everyone is frozen or a time limit is reached.
A variation of tag where, instead of touching players, “it” steps on their shadow to tag them.
A nighttime version of tag played with glow sticks or flashlights. The “it” player chases others in the dark, using the glow to spot and tag them.
9. Kickball
Kickball is an outdoor game similar to baseball, where players kick a rubber ball instead of hitting a baseball.
Two teams take turns kicking and fielding. The kicking team tries to run around the bases to score, while the fielding team tries to get them out by catching the ball or tagging bases. The team with the most points at the end wins.
10. Capture the Flag
Capture the Flag is a team game where players try to steal the opposing team’s flag and bring it back to their own side without being tagged. If tagged in enemy territory, they may be frozen, sent to “jail,” or need a teammate’s rescue.
The game ends when a team successfully captures the opponent’s flag.
11. Gorilla, Man, Net
Gorilla, Man, Net is a fun variation to Rock, Paper, Scissors. First, form a line or pair up randomly. Then, have kids stand back to back. When they hear the word “go” kids turns around and immediately give their gesture of gorilla, man, or net. Here are the gestures:
GORILLA: roars while beating his/her hands on their chest.
MAN: stands with his/her head facing up and hands and arms folded proudly.
NET: Pretends to throw a net on his/her partner.
- Gorilla beats man because he is bigger and stronger.
- Man beats net because he invented it.
- And net beats gorilla because a net captures a gorilla.
Whoever wins finds another partner who won, and losers are out. Play until you have one victorious winner.
See more fun ice breaker games >>
12. Drip, Drip, Drench!
*A hot weather version of Duck, Duck, Goose!
In this fun variation, the tagger drips water on heads and soaks someone instead of tapping them on the head.
13. Nature Scavenger Hunt
Get outside and embark on an exciting nature scavenger hunt! Whether you’re in a park, your backyard, or on a hiking trail, this adventure will have you uncovering Earth’s hidden treasures.
Related: Check out Earth Day games for more nature fun too >>
14. The Telephone Game
*Great for young kids. And this one doesn’t require supplies!
Get ready for a laugh-out-loud game of miscommunication with the classic Telephone game!
Start with a message, pass it on from player to player, and watch as it hilariously transforms along the way. The fun comes when the final message is nothing like the original.
Who knew words could get so jumbled?
15. Three-Legged Relay
Divide into pairs. Attach a band or rope to one of the legs of each individual in the pair. Make it to the end of the relay and back as quickly as possible while working together!
Find more teambuilding games >>
16. Tug of War
Tug of War is a strength-based game where two teams pull on opposite ends of a rope. They are trying to drag the other team across a designated line. The team that pulls their opponents past the line wins.
It’s a test of teamwork, strategy, and sheer muscle power!
17. Play Minute to Win It Games Outside
Olympics Minute to Win It and 4th of July Minute to Win It are perfect games to play outside!
For these hilarious games, players compete in 60-second challenges using simple items.
What’s in the Picture – Cup Fencing: Players stand in a circle. Each player balances a plastic cup on their head. Once the timer starts, each player must balance and protect the cup on their head while attempting to knock off other players’ cups.
18. DIY Outdoor Obstacle Course
Create a fun outdoor obstacle course in your backyard using everyday items!
Set up stations like
- jumping over pool noodles
- crawling under a string web
- weaving through cones or buckets
- and balancing on a wooden plank
Add a hula hoop hop, a tunnel made from cardboard boxes, and a final sprint to the finish. Time each participant for a competitive twist. Or let kids run through it freely for active fun!
19. Frisbee Golf
*Super easy!
Set up targets around the yard and try to hit them with a frisbee in the fewest throws.
20. Four Square
Four Square is a ball game played on a large square divided into four sections. (You can do this with chalk on your own driveway.) Players bounce a ball between them. You’re out if you miss the ball, hit it out of bounds, let it bounce more than once, or hit it into your own square.
Related Summer Fun:
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