What do kids remember most about outdoor parties? Sure, hot dogs and chocolate cake are nice, but it’s the fun outdoor games and activities that create the most outdoor fun. If you’re planning a party for your son and the weather will be good, there’s a variety of outdoor games you can easily organize. Include your son in choosing a theme, fun games, and outdoor activity ideas to make sure the party is truly personalized for him.
Treasure Hunts For Younger Kids Are So Much Fun
Especially if your son has chosen a pirate theme, most boys will be thrilled to participate in their treasure hunt. You can make up clues on tea-stained paper and hide them in bottles around your yard or a nearby park. Have the first clue and a treasure map of the playing area, delivered to the birthday boy by someone dressed as a pirate. Having each boy take turns reading one of the clues is an excellent idea. At the final stop of the hunt, where “X” marks the spot, there is a “treasure chest” of prizes for everyone.
Scavenger Hunts Are Easy Outdoor Activities For Kids Of All Ages
Like treasure hunts, outdoor scavenger hunts involve a sense of discovery and encourage participation by all your party guests. If your son has picked a party theme, gear the scavenger hunt list to reflect it. Hold the hunt in a nearby park or at home, using both your backyard and the inside of your house as the hunting grounds.
For the list, include natural everyday items such as a pine cone, acorn, and a bird feather, as well as more creative natural things such as a rock shaped like a dinosaur and hearing a particular bird call. Include man-made objects like a penny from the 1990s, a bottle top, and a red car sighting. Provide teams with a list of the nature scavenger hunt items to find (or write down after spotting or hearing) and give them a time limit. Ultimately, pick out the most unusual artifact a team has brought back and award those kids a prize.
Obstacle Course For Outdoor Play
Boys like a little dose of healthy competition, which you can provide with an obstacle course race. You can use almost anything in your garage or house to set up two identical courses, one for each team. Variety and a little challenge along the course are vital to the fun. “Zoom Obstacle Course” involves boys rolling eggs with their noses, crawling (stomach to the ground) under a rope course, and running while holding a balloon between their legs.
Water Balloons Are Fun Things To Do Outdoors For The Whole Family
The outdoors is the perfect setting for fresh air, water play, and keeping kids entertained –and probably the only one parents are keen on–for water balloon games. There are various game options, including the classic water balloon toss. Children form two lines facing each other, standing a foot apart. Each boy in one of the lines gets a water balloon, and they all toss their balloons to their facing partners. Those who catch the balloons take one step back and continue playing. Those who drop a balloon that explodes are out. The game ends when all the balloons have exploded.
Balloon party games are great for boys’ parties in summer and winter because you can play with inflated or water balloons. You can mix things up by creating your own party game and adding water to any type of balloon game. Boys up to 12 or 14 will enjoy these games, but remember that popped balloons can be a choking hazard for younger children.
Hot Potato
Hot potato is an excellent game to play with balloons during the summer or warmer months, and you’ll want the boys to play it outside. Fill one balloon with water and pop a small hole in the bottom or the side. Have the boys form a circle and let them throw the balloon at each other. When the water runs out, the person holding the balloon at the end is the first person out of the game. Keep playing by filling additional balloons with water and popping a hole in the sides. When two people are left, the winner is the boy who doesn’t end up with the balloon at the end.
Balloon Pop
With balloon pop, you give every boy an inflated balloon with his name written on the front. The boys throw their balloons around the room, and when they are in the air, let the boys start popping. The kids can only use their hands to pop the balloons; the boy with the last inflated balloon is the winner. It’s up to each boy to decide whether to focus on saving his balloon or popping all the others first.
Poppers
In Poppers, each boy gets a balloon tied to his ankle, leg or arm. The boys run around and try to pop the others’ balloons. As soon as your balloon is popped, you’re out of the game. The winner is the boy who still has his balloon at the end of the game. You can vary the game in the summer by filling the balloons with water and letting the boys play outside.
Balloon Relay
In balloon relay, the point is to pop all of your balloons before the other players. You divide the group of boys up into smaller, equal groups and give each one a bag of 20 inflated balloons. When the whistle blows, the first player for each team grabs a balloon and tries to pop it. When he pops one, he runs back and tags the next player who tries to pop the balloon. The winning team is the first to get all the balloons in its bag popped.
Football Games For Older Kids Are The Best Outdoor Activities
Football games are a great way to keep kids entertained while teaching them the sport’s fundamentals, all in the comfort of your backyard. These games can range from touch football to tackle and can be played with large groups or just one-on-one. One-on-one football games, in particular, focus on improving your child’s technique and form, making them an excellent option for skill development.
Flag Football Is A Fun Way To Exercise
Flag football is a variation of tackle football that replaces tackling with flag-pulling. While the rules are generally the same, flag football is often played with less physical activity contact than tackle football. Divide a group of kids into two even teams, giving each player a set of flags to wear at waist level. Have the kids play a timed game or play up to a specific score. It’s six points for a touchdown, one for an extra point, and three for a field goal.
One-On-One Running Game
This game is designed to improve your child’s agility and speed on the field. Have your kid grab a partner and line up on the 20-yard line facing the nearest end zone. Hand your child a ball, and on your whistle, have him run for the end zone. Have his partner attempt to stop him from scoring by tackling him. A successful tackle results in a second down. Your child has four downs to get to the end zone before a change of possession.
Three Fly’s Up Is One Of The Best Fun Outdoor Backyard Games
This football game helps improve your child’s ability to catch a football. Have four kids get in a group. Have one of the kids move 10 feet away from the other kids with a ball in his hand. On your mark, have him throw the ball as high as he can towards the other players. If one of the kids successfully catches the ball, he gets a fly. The first kid to three flies wins the game.
Punting Game
This game is designed to improve your child’s punting skills and hand-eye coordination. Have a group of kids line up on the 20-yard line. One kid should step up and give them a football. Have him punt the ball out of bounds, as close to the end zone as possible. If it goes into the end zone, he gets zero points. He gets a point if he gets the ball within the 10-yard line. If he gets it within the 5-yard line, he gets three points—the first kid to 20 wins.
Kickball
All you need is a ball to play an old-fashioned game of kickball. The rules are somewhat akin to baseball. Create three bases and a home base using whatever is handy. Each team takes turns kicking the ball and running to the bases. Whoever catches the ball can tag the runner “out.” Three outs and the teams must switch; one point is gained for every runner who gets to the home plate safely.
Three Musketeers Race
Use markers to create two lines about 20 feet away from each other. The boys should make teams of three and stand with their backs together and arms linked, forming a triangle shape. An adult or chaperone yells, “All for one and one for all!” to begin the game. The boys’ teams must run to the second line and make it to the first line without becoming unlinked. If the team becomes unlinked, they must return to the starting line. Whichever team makes it to the second line and back first without becoming unlinked will win.
Pick Pocket Tag
Give each boy a strip of cloth or bandana to put in his pocket. The game’s object is for each boy to “pick” the pockets of the other kids. Whoever ends the game with the most cloth strips is the winner and the best pickpocket.
If you’re looking for fun things to do outdoors, the possibilities for adventure, relaxation, and quality time with loved ones are endless. Whether it’s scenic hikes, exciting water sports, a simple picnic, or a night of stargazing, there’s always something enjoyable to experience outside. So, grab your gear, step into nature, and take advantage of all its beauty. Fresh air and unforgettable memories await!