Fun Kid Games To Play Outdoors

For children, sitting and contemplating in the quite calmness of the wild isn’t generally their idea of a fun time. When outdoors, especially  while on a multi-day camping trip, there can be a lot of down time. This is when adults would well sit and relax, take in the scenes, and unwind. However, this is the exact opposite of what children want to do. So before taking these little balls of energy into the wilderness, you had better have a few fun games in mind that can be played, otherwise the kids could very well drive you crazy.

To help with that, we’ve created this list of a few fun games that can be played and generally don’t require any specific pieces or parts. Having them in mind can make the difference between having some organized fun, or a chaotic stressful time as the kids run amok around camp. So for a few ideas, read on, and have fun this summer with your kids!

Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves

This game mixes singing and follow the leader. A group sits in a circle and sings Ali Baba and the 40 Thieves, while performing some action. Standing on one foot, patting your head, rubbing your belly, really any action that can be done without moving from the circle. Whoever is leading the group changes their action after the first repetition, and the next person beside him/her repeats the leaders action.The action is changed after every repetition while still repeating the phrase, and every time it changes, the action is to be performed by the next person in line. Eventually, everyone will be doing a different action while repeating the phrase. The phrase itself doesn’t matter, but the game is to see if your initial action will make it’s way back to you. It’s a bit like Simon Says or telephone. Any number of changes can be made to this to make it more difficult or easier if need be.

Bola

You’ll need some string, and a few socks or something very soft to tie at the end of the string that wouldn’t hurt someone if struck with it. You simply fill a sock with other socks (or whatever soft weighted material) and tie it off with a stretch of string. Decide what the radius of the sock is and have everyone stand outside of that. Begin to swing the sock slowly close to the ground and have the group close in around you. Everyone jumps over the sock as it comes by them, and if you’re struck with it, you’re out until the next round. The final person remaining wins! To make this game a bit more difficult, you can alter between ground level and overhead making the kids change between jumping and ducking.

Elves, Giants, and Wizard

This game is essentially rock, paper, scissors but more interactive. Elves beat wizards, wizards beat giants, and giants beat elves. You divide the group into three separate groups, each group assigned with one of the race classes. Once the teams are decided, it turn into a game of tag, where for instance if you are a wizard, you are going to be trying to tag giants while avoiding elves. If you tag someone they join your team, and if you are tagged you join the taggers side. The object of the game is to get every player on a single team.

Lots of Knots

Make the group of kids stand in a circle facing the center. Then tell the kids to shake and hold hands with whomever is directly across from them. Then they must join hands with a different person in the group. The object of the game is to untangle their hands, the human knot, without having to let go of their hands.

Quick Count

This game is relatively easy. All you need are a bunch of objects which can be tossed into the air, and something to hide the objects as they lie on the ground, such as a towel or backpack or something. The idea is that you decide on a number of objects to thrown, and see who can count the exact number of objects as they are let loose into the air, and before they fall behind your covering object. Whoever guesses the correct number get to become the tosser.

Sleight Of Hand

Have the whole group save for one person lay on the ground in a circle with their hands in the center. The one person not lying down looks away as a ring or some small object is given to the group. Once a person has hold of the object and its kept hidden in their hands, the other person turns around to watch. The object is for the group to pass the ring around 5 times without the person watching knowing where it ends up. After it has been handed off 5 times, the person not laying down is to guess who has hold of the ring.

Objects

You’ll need a few bags, or pieces of cloth to put multiple small objects into or under. The idea of the game is to gather a bunch of objects, the same types of objects for the each team or player. Let everyone know what those objects are, and then place them into the bag or under the cloth. Then you call out the object and without looking at them, the players must pick the objects out. If an object is incorrectly picked, that player is out. With multiple players, the player who is last to pick is out. Repeat this in larger groups until a winner is determined. To make the game more difficult, pick similar objects to put into the bag.

At Wilderness Aware Rafting, we understand how a proper family rafting  vacation can create some of the best memories a person can have, after all, we have our testimonials to base that off of. If you are interested in a Colorado Rafting Trip, Denver Rafting, multi-day rafting trip, or want to try rafting the Salt River near Phoenix, AZ, please be sure to contact us and find out what white water rafting trips we have available.