Games suitable for children to play outdoors

Here are some suitable outdoor games for children, covering various types such as chasing, jumping, cooperative play, etc. You can choose them based on children’s ages and venue conditions:

Chasing Games

• Statue Game: Young children hold hands and form a circle. They walk around while chanting the rhyme, “I am a statue. I can’t talk, and I can’t move. Let’s see who can hold still for a minute.” After finishing the chant, they strike a pose and remain motionless. The teacher announces when the time is up, and they can move again. The game repeats.
• Catching Lobsters: Most children stand on one foot or hop, acting as lobsters. Two children hold hands to form a “fishing net” and try to catch the lobsters. A lobster that is about to be caught can squat down to be safe. The game ends when all lobsters are caught.

Jumping Games

• Frog Jumping on Lily Pads: Place hula hoops or cardboard pieces on the ground as “lily pads.” Children pretend to be frogs and jump from one lily pad to another without “falling into the water” (stepping outside the hoops).
• Hopscotch: Draw a traditional hopscotch grid on the ground and label the squares with numbers. Children take turns throwing a small sandbag into a square, then hop through all the squares using single and double hops alternately, and retrieve the sandbag. Making a wrong hop or stepping on a line results in failure.

Cooperative Games

• Building Tunnels: Divide the whole class into three teams. Two teams stand vertically, with pairs of children using their arms or long objects to create arched tunnels. The third team lines up and crawls through the tunnels. There is a time limit for crawling through the tunnels, and then the teams switch roles.
• Three-Legged Race: Pair up the children. Within each pair, tie one of each child’s feet together. The pairs start from the starting line, and the first pair to reach the finish line wins.

Throwing Games

• Hitting with Sandbags: Draw a large circle on the ground. Team A stands inside the circle, and Team B stands outside. When the game starts, Team B throws a small sandbag to hit members of Team A. Each successful hit means a member of Team A is out of the circle, and Team B gets a point. If a member of Team A catches the sandbag, Team A gets a point or can save a teammate who made a mistake.
• Mini Bowling: Use a ball to knock over small plastic bottles or paper cups (bowling pins) arranged in a triangle at a certain distance ahead. Score points based on the number of pins knocked down. The game can be played in teams or individually.

Sensory Exploration Games

• Treasure Hunt: The teacher hides small items (colored stones, small toys, picture cards) in the activity area in advance and gives children clues about colors, shapes, etc., to help them find the treasures.
• Touch and Guess: Prepare a “mystery touch bag” and put different natural objects inside (pinecones, pebbles, tree bark, smooth leaves, fuzzy seeds). Children reach into the bag and try to guess what the objects are by touch.