In the age of Tabs, Kindle, laptops, and firesticks, the kids have become so involved in indoor entertainment that their games have also become electronic. We need to motivate the kids to play outdoors, have fun with peers and get healthy physical exercise. There are many games we play in our childhood. Many games can be played in the backyard of your home conveniently. Here are a few backyard games for kids to enjoy and exercise their minds and body.
- Hopscotch
Hopscotch has been one of the all-time favorite games for generations, and children can go on playing without losing interest. On your backyard pavement, draw the layout with chalk. When you draw from top to bottom, you need to draw three single squares, one double square, two single squares, one double square, and one single square.
There are two basic rules in hopscotch. 1) You can put one foot in each square only. 2) You need to hop over the square with the stone in it. Use a stone to throw into the first square. Then you hop on one foot over the square with the stone in it. Doing that, you land with two feet on the double squares. On the second turn, you throw the rock into the second square, and it goes on like that. The tricky and fun part is staying sturdy on one foot when the stone is on one of the side squares. If you miss it, the next player gets his turn.
- Mother May I?
In this game, the participants line up side by side. One child is supposed to be the Caller. He stands at a distance from the players who are lined up. The Caller calls upon each player one at a time to take some steps toward him. They can take baby steps, giant steps, and scissor steps – like forward jumping jacks. Before taking the steps, the player says, “Mother, May I?” Then the Caller answers, “Yes, you may.” Next, the player takes the number of steps he has been told to. If the player forgets to ask permission before taking the steps, he is sent back to the starting line. The first player to reach the Caller becomes the winner. He is then the next Caller.
- Find Your Friend
Clean up your backyard before playing this game from any solid objects that could hurt the players. There should be no trip and fall hazards for the kids. Set apart all the players. Then the participants can be blindfolded. Spin them around gently, and then let them loose on their own apart from each other. The task is to find one another. They have fun finding their friends and linking arms till they all connect. The players enjoy themselves shuffling around and bumping into each other.
- Target Throwing
Pin up a shooting target from bullseye to 10 in circles at equal distances from each other. Then, one by one, the children can aim to throw the darts at the bullseye. Nowadays, there are many stores within your reach where ready-to-play magnetic shooting targets and darts are available, which are safer than the sharp-edged ones. The player who gets the closest aims nearest to the bullseye gets maximum points.
Cubby House
Kids enjoy the cubby houses: they are fun, enjoyable, and safe. For example, the backyard discovery spring cottage is a lovely game the children enjoy. Set it out in the open along with a portable sandpit, and let the kids go free! You can find various Cubby houses online.
Let the kids take a feel of the cubby house in your backyard as a little pastry shop to play. There is ample to have fun with and make imaginative situations with this game. No need to worry about it; whether it’s a sunny or a frosty day, it can be left in your open space.
- Kan Jam
Kan Jam is a great backyard fun game for kids. You need a container that is the size of a garbage can or bucket. One Frisbee is always the best, or a handy disc will do. Play equipment accessories can be found in your arctic and store. The goal is to aim and throw the disc in the empty container kept a certain distance. You can also draw a special slot next to the container where your disc must arrive. If the disc reaches the correct allotted place, that team is the instant winner.
- Nine Pins
Nine Pins is a good innovative game to play in the backyard. This is a home version of the bowling game played in the bowling alley, which is famous in different places. If you have visited a bowling alley, you already know how to play it. You need to set up nine pins – they can be empty milk cartons or small cones. You can even set up 2-liter soda bottles. The pins should be set up in a diamond build. Find a plastic ball that’s good enough to knock over a few pins. You can award the players points per bowl. The player who knocks down more pins gains the most points.
Wrapping Thought
With school and other stressful activities kids have in their daily lives, some fun play is necessary. Therefore, they must play outdoors and enjoy the charm of team games and childhood fun which they will also find very valuable in the future when they look back on time.