Summer is here!  In my house that means that we are spending a lot of time outdoors.

 

I love encouraging my kids to go on a bug hunt, dig with sticks, collect rocks, climb trees, and play endless versions of tag.  I keep a big basket of balls, sidewalk chalk, and bubbles for them to use when we go outside.  And most of the time my kids are perfectly content just to get out of the house and play.

 

However, there are times when I hear the dreaded phrase, “Mom, I’m bored.  What can I do?”

 

Then come my camp counselor games to the rescue!  These games are great for kids of all ages.  (Seriously, I’ve played them with two-year-olds and college students!)  So, here are:

 

 

6 Outdoor Games Your Kids Will Love

 

 

1. Drip, Drip, Drop

This is a hilarious version of Duck, Duck, Goose.  Be warned–everyone playing this game will get soaked!  So, be sure that your kids are wearing swimsuits or old clothes.

 

Supplies needed: a plastic cup, a bucket of water

 

Directions:

1. The person who is “It” fills the plastic cup with water.

2. “It” walks around the circle of children, sprinkling a small drip of water on the head of each child while saying “drip.”

3. “It” spills the entire contents of the plastic cup onto the head of a child and yells “Drop!”

4. The child who was “dropped” on chases after “It.”

5.  “It” takes the child’s spot, and the (now soaked) child is “It.”

6. Continue until everyone is completely wet and giggling.

 

 

2. Water Balloon Toss

You can fill water balloons up with water from the garden hose ahead of time (just be sure to keep them in a bucket of cold water so they don’t pop), or have your children learn to fill them and save yourself some energy!

 

Supplies needed:  water balloons

 

Directions:

1. Partner children up.

2. Partners face each other about two feet apart.

3 .One partner is given the water balloon and tosses it to their partner.

4. The partner tosses the balloon back.

5. If the balloon did not break, they back up one foot.

6. Continue playing until everyone’s balloon has popped, getting them wet.

 

 

3. Water Balloon Relays

You can create as many versions of the relays as you want.  Be creative!

 

Supplies Needed: water balloons

 

Directions:

1. Time children to see how fast they can complete different relays.

2. Children place a water balloon between their knees and run to a set point.  They run back and tag the next person.

3. Play “Over and Under” with water balloons.  Children form a line. The child at the head of the line passes a water balloon over their head of the child behind them, who then passes the water balloon through their knees to the next child, who passes it over their head, etc.

4. Children form a circle, spread slightly apart, and see how fast they can toss a water balloon around the circle without breaking it.

 

 

4. Water Balloon Volleyball

A wet twist on the classic game of volleyball.

 

Supplies needed: water balloons, towels, a net (you can tie a string between two folding chairs if you don’t have a net)

 

Directions:

1. Children work with a partner.  They each hold the end of a towel and use that to serve or catch the water balloon.

2. One partner group places a water balloon in their towel and works together to toss the balloon over the net.

3. Players on the other side catch the balloon when it comes over.

4. Just as in volleyball, if one team drops the balloon, the other team gets the point.  Play as long as you’d like!

 

 

5. Body Art

Kids work together to create shapes, letters, or numbers with their bodies.

 

Supplies needed: just your kiddos!

 

Directions:

1. Tell your kids they will need to work together to accomplish the challenges.

2. Call out a letter, shape, or number (this is great to help little ones learn!).

3. Kids work together to create that letter/shape/number by lying on the grass and moving their bodies.

4. If your kids need an even greater challenge, time them and see how fast they can do it!

 

 

6. Sleeping Lions

I dare you not to laugh while you play this game!

 

Supplies needed: your kids

 

Directions:

1. All kids lie down in the grass.

2. Instruct kids that NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS they should not laugh.

3. The person who is “It” (I would have a parent be It the first time) crawls up to each kid and (without touching them) tries to get them to laugh.

4. When that child laughs, they join “It” in getting the other children to laugh.

5. Last one not laughing wins and is It for the next game.

 

Now, there is nothing particularly “outdoorsy” about Sleeping Lions or Body Art, so you can also play them indoors on a rainy day.  But, everything is more fun outside, right?

 

So, the next time your kids say, “Mom, I’m bored!” just pull on your tennis shoes and play these fun games together as a family!

 

What outdoor games do you play with your children?