15 “old-school” outdoor games for kids

The games we played (outside): 15 old-school outdoor games for kids straight from YOUR OWN childhood!

Remember the good old days when we used to play outside all day and night? Tag, red rover, mother-may-I…. all those outside games for kids that didn’t require toys. Reminiscing about all of those fun summer nights is such a great way to bond with your kids and tell them old stories about your childhood. You can even get out in the yard and teach them some of the games kids have been playing for generations!

If you are looking for the top outdoor games for youth to play at school or in their own backyard, these all-ages games will bring you back to your childhood and show your kids some good, old-fashioned fun!

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Backyard/outside games for kids are a right of passage

As a kid, I can recall playing outside from breakfast until well after sundown. It took at least four warnings of “you’re grounded if you don’t get in this house NOW” before my siblings and I would begrudgingly go inside.

I remember moving into a new house when I was about five. On move-in day all the neighborhood kids came to play in our yard. I thought it was the best day of my life. It felt like 100 kids came to run and play with just me. (In reality, it was more like 10 kids and I was really young so they were probably playing “around” me rather than “with” me- but I felt like a celebrity!).

In elementary school, I pedaled my bike for miles pretending to run from the Fratelli’s with (the imaginary) Goonies. Outdoor games for kids were LIFE. Oh, to be young again! Today kids go outside and have no idea what to do.

The benefits of playing outside

I’m not sure our parents ever worried about the benefits of us playing outside (other than getting us out of their hair). Going out to play is just what kids did. It is a part of childhood that is central to developing who we are physically, emotionally, and socially.

While kids are still getting outside, the nature of play is changing. One study found that the time children do spend outside involves electronic media in some form. Research evidence shows that children and teenagers need adequate sleep, physical activity, and time away from media.

Active play, especially when outdoors, builds strength and physical coordination and helps prevent obesity (source).

Recommended physical activity guidelines for children (from ChooseMyPlate.gov):

2-5 years old -There is no specific recommendation for children in this age group. They should simply play normally throughout their day. Activities should be age-appropriate and fun

6-17 years old- 60 minutes or more each day. Addiotnaly, most of this activity should be vigorous. “Children and adolescents are often active in short bursts of time rather than for sustained periods of time, and these short bursts can add up to meet physical activity needs”.

18- 71 years old- I am including this information as a reference and a reminder that we need our exercise too! (Don’t neglect Mom!) “Adults should do at least 2 hours and 30 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a moderate level OR 1 hour and 15 minutes each week of aerobic physical activity at a vigorous level”.

This is not meant as medical advice. Always consult your child’s physician with questions about their health/development and before starting any new routines.

Play is good for the mind, body, and soul of a child.

How to get your kids outside

We used to go outside because it is really all we had to do. Cartoons were only on television on Saturday mornings. We didn’t have On Demand or Netflix or iPads- we went out to play because it was our best option. It still is the best option for kids- they just need a little reminding!

A few ideas to help get the kids to actually go outside and remember how much fun it actually is:

-Manage screen time– While this is not a problem we had to deal with as kids, electronics are an addictive part of our lives now. Getting kids outside often means getting them off of their Xboxes, iPads, and Netflix accounts. Two things I have found to help with this:

Circle with Disney– I just got this on Amazon Prime Day and it is all around amazing. This little device is super easy to set up and allows you to control the time spent on screens (down to timers for individual apps) for each device in your house. You can pause the internet on any device, review time spent on each app, and set a “bedtime”. One more trick- use it for your own phone too! I set a 30 minute limit per day on Facebook for MYSELF. Sometimes we parents need the same motivation to stop staring at our screens!

Electronic rules sheet– Make a checklist of things that must be complete before screens can be used. Make sure to add things such as “read for 30 minutes” and “play outside for at least 60 minutes”. Then set a limit to how much time they do get once the checklist is complete!

-Give them ideas– If they get outside and just pout, try giving them a few suggestions to get the fun started. Their imaginations will take over once their bodies get moving!

-Plan Family time that is screen-free– We had a blast doing the 7 Day Family Time Challenge taking just 30 minutes a day to try these family activities. I had so much more fun than I thought I would and now it is part of our routine!

-Go with them! (more on that next!)

Fun outdoor games for kids of ALL games

We often hear people say that kids don’t go out and play anymore. They spend too much time on electronic devices and should get out and run. Well, guess who else needs to put down the phone/iPad/remote control- us parents! Let’s skip the expensive gym membership and play some free, old-fashioned tag! Playing outside games with our kids is lots of fun and a great way to get some exercise and create family memories bonding with our kids.

Let’s reclaim the lost art of outdoor fun! No $5,000 swing set or $500 iPad needed! Not even a Pogo Ball.. (weren’t those the BEST? I can’t believe they brought them back!)

This article is an excerpt from “Summer Survival Guide for moms!“. It’s a toolkit for having a low-stress summer enjoying your kids and making family memories- before another summer in their too-short childhoods is gone…