Easy backyard games and activities for kids
Easy, fun, minimum prep
So as we're settling into quaratine mode, we're all going to need to start getting creative with the activites and games we play with our children in our homes. This list of backyard activities for kids will help your family thrive during COVID-19 self isolation and lockdown.
These recommendations and ideas don't require much preparation or extra materials to help save you from any unneeded trips to the shops.
Chalk!
If your backyard features a wall or concrete (or even blackboard!) then giving your kids some chalk should provide plenty of fun and easy entertainment. Children, both school-aged and pre-school, can enjoy being creative with chalk in various ways. Draw pictures, play Mr Squiggle, make a hopscotch, make a twister board, chalk bullseye and play four square or handball.
Build a Cubby
Pull those old cardboard boxes out of the shed! Find that spare wood that's been lying around the yard for ages! It's time to build a cubby house! Kids love cubbies, whether they're very temporary and built from carboard boxes, or whether they're permanent wooden mansion cubbies built in a tree.
Hide and Seek
An easy game to play with your kids in your backyard that requires no prep and no materials. Someone counts to ten while the others hide and then they "go seek".
Tag
Another classic back-yard game that's great for families with young kids. No materials and no preperation required, this game is as simple as saying "tag - you're it!" Once you get tired of original, we have a great selection of alternative versions to try out too. Try Everyone's It or Spin Chasey.
Sponge Ball Skirmish
Divide your family into two teams and build some makeshift battle forts on either side of your arena (back-yard). Use some soft sports balls you have lying around and make up some battle rules around how you get "out" and win the game (or check out our rules using the link below). This is such a great fun high-energy outdoor game that requires team-work.
Stuck in the Mud
In stuck in the mud, one person is "it". when they touch someone, that person is "frozen" in place. The frozen person cannot move and must stand with their feet apart. The only way they can become unfrozen is if a person crawls under their legs. Play continues until all...
Obstacle Course
Creating an obstacle course is the perfect way to spend an afternoon with your family in your yard. Use everything and anything you find lying around to design a challenging obstacle course for your kids (and you!) to enjoy. Kick a ball, score a goal, ride a bike, do star jumps, crawl under the trampoline, run around garden shed and climb a tree. Children can compete as individuals running the whole course, or work together completing different obstacles to achieve the fastest time. Maybe even challenge your kids to see who is faster - children or parents?
Find some great obstacle course ideas here
Sock Wrestling
If your kids love to wrestle, then this is the right back-yard game for your family to play during coronavirus isolation. In this high-contact game, players face-off against one another in a wrestling challenge. Each player must wear a long sport sock and the aim is to take the opposition player's sock off before they get yours. Let the games begin!
Scavenger Hunt
Why not sit on your back porch and create a scavenger hunt for your kids to do. This gets kids running around, using their energy to find various items, both natural and man-made. Your scavenger hunt can be as creative as you like - finding items, solving clues and completing activities.
Find some great scavenger hunt ideas here
Ultimate Ninja
This is a really easy game to play and learn, and it's great to play with a small number of people. Perfect for teenagers rather than younger kids, Ultimate Ninja can be played indoors or outdoors and requires no extra equipment. Give it go!
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