Have a Backyard Blast
Introduce simple, classic games to keep kids busy and moving.
Remember marbles and Kick the Can? Teach your kids the rules so they can get busy playing!
Whether your child is playing with family or a group of neighborhood kids, these activities will make him want to get up and out of the house.
Bean Bag Bullseye
Object: Hit the bullseye and score points. Best for ages 5 to 10.
Draw three concentric circles on the sidewalk or driveway, and mark a target in the middle. Start with a 1 ft. circle, then a 2 ft. and finally a 3 ft. Players stand outside the circles and toss a beanbag (if you don't have one, make your own by filling a fabric pocket with popcorn kernels) at the target. Award two points each to each player who gets their beanbag in the outer circle, five for the second circle, and ten for hitting the inner circle. Try ten rounds, having the players stand a little further away each time. The player with most points overall wins.
Sponge Pass
Object: Fill a pitcher by passing a soaking sponge. Best for large groups of all ages.
Split the group into two teams and have each form a line. Put a large sponge and a bucket full of water at one end. Take two plastic pitchers and use a marker to draw a horizontal line near the top of each one, then place them at the other end of the line. In order for each team to fill their pitcher, the first player soaks the sponge and starts to pass it down the line. Players must alternate between passing it over their heads and between their legs. When the sponge reaches the end of the line, the player squeezes it into the pitcher, then runs to the front of the line, everyone moves back one space, and it starts all over again. Build cooperation skills as teams race to be the first to fill their pitcher!
Scavenger, Treasure, and Nature Hunts
Object: Find objects and follow clues. Best for all ages.
A great activity that can be adapted for players of different ages, you can play this alone with one child or invite the neighborhood kids to join in the fun. Hide several objects for teams or individuals to find; plant written clues that lead from one to the next and eventually a prize, or give players a list of objects to find. Customize hunts to fit the players' ages — offer preschoolers picture clues, rhyming puzzles for middle-schoolers.
Hoop Hop
Object: Follow directions and move in time to music. Best for ages 3 to 5.
Gather a group of preschoolers and demonstrate different ways of moving: walking, hopping, skipping, running, etc. Spread a few hula-hoops in the yard and let them practice frolicking around without stepping on the hoops. Then turn on music or clap to a beat and challenge them to follow your directions. Ask them to leap, skip, or run, find a partner to stand inside a hoop with, or put just their hands and feet in the hoops. They'll develop motor skills and become aware of their bodies and rhythm as they have a grand old time.
Kick the Can
Object: Beat "It" back to the base to kick the can. Best for ages 7 and up.
Fill a coffee can with pebbles and put it on the ground next to the player you've chosen to be "It." She closes her eyes and counts to 100, while everyone else spreads out over a wide area to hide. When "It" finishes counting, she leaves the can and goes to look for the other players. When she spots another player, she must tag him before he can run back and kick the can. If he manages to kick the can, he's safe. Players can work together to try to trick "It," and the last player to get tagged by the counter becomes "It" for the next round.
Running Bases
Object: Make it to the base without getting tagged. Best for ages 6 to 12.
Set up two bases (you can use a towel or rug) about 20 feet apart from each other. A player stands on each base, tossing a softball back and forth. Other players run back and forth between the bases, trying not to get tagged by the ball. If a player is tagged, they take the place of one of the players on the bases.
Clothespin Tag
Object: To capture players' clothespins without losing your own. Best for ages 6 and up. Designate a play area (about 50' by 50') and give each player five clothespins that she clips to the back of her shirt. Players race to grab others' pins off their backs. When they get a pin, they can kneel to clip it to their shirts. While someone's kneeling, he can't be touched. Designate a time limit — 15 minutes or so — and when time's up, the player with the most clothes pins wins.
Spud
Object: To tag a player with a ball. Best for ages 6 and up.
Ask players to count off, starting with the number 1, and remember their numbers. Choose one player to be "It" and give him a large ball, such as a dodgeball. Players gather in a circle while "It" throws the ball high in the air and calls out a number. Everyone else scatters except for the kid whose number was called. He runs to catch the ball, and as soon as he does, calls "Spud!" All players must freeze. The catcher takes two steps towards the nearest person and throws the ball at her. (Tell kids to aim for the waist and not to throw hard.) If he hits the target, that person becomes "It." If not, the player who called "Spud" is "it" for the next round.
Sidewalk Games
Remember those games you used to play? Jacks, marbles, hopscotch, and jump rope build hand-eye coordination, concentration, physical fitness, balance, and dexterity. And you can play all these games as a family! All you need is a strip of sidewalk and simple, inexpensive supplies. Kids can practice on their own and you can hold family tournaments throughout the summer. There are several ways to play each game. Decide on a family rulebook and spend your days hopping, jumping, and shooting!
