Classic Outdoor Games For Kids

It seems like many games we played outdoor as children are becoming lost to this generation. These games were simple, required few or no equipment or stuff simply children wanting to play. Many of today's kids have never even heard of these games.

These games can be a great form of exercise, cost nothing or next to nothing and most importantly building sweet lifelong memories of childhood. Some of my most precious memories were playing some of these games with friends, family and any child in the vicinity.

Here's some of my favorite games: Red Light Green Light - A person plays the "stop light" and the rest attempt to touch him/her. Whoever touches that person first is the winner. To start all the kids form a line about 15 feet away from the stop light person. That stop light person turns his/her back away from the line of children and says "green light". Then the kids move towards the stoplight person. At any point, the stop light person calls out "red light" and turns around. If any of the children are seen moving after calling out red light, they are out. This continues until someone reaches and touches the stop light person and wins the game and earns the right to be "stop light" for the next game.

Kick The Can - Is a combination of tag and hide and seek. A person chosen is "it". They count to a predetermined number while the other kids hide, while at the same time sort of guarding the can. They then seek to find the hidden kids. When they find one, it is then a race between the two. The one found tries to get to the can first and kick it over, while the "it" person tries to tag him before he can do this. There's always those smart alec kids who hide in dumb, close places to sprint to the can when seen and catch the "it" person off guard.

Marbles - A relatively smooth playing field is needed, usually on dirt. A small hole is made in the center of the playing area. Each player antes up a marble, and they are randomly scattered around the playing field. Each player uses a large marble called a shooter to try to knock the other marbles into the hole much like shooting pool. Players take turns shooting, and if a player knocks a marble into the hole with his/her shot, they get to keep the marble they knocked in and shoot again. Of course simple marble trading is always popular too.

Duck Duck Goose - In this game, kids sit in a circle facing each other. Someone is "it" and walks around the circle gently tapping each person on the head as they walk by saying either "duck" or "goose". When some is declared a goose, that person gets up and chases "it" around the circle. If the person who was "it" can run the circle and sit in "gooses" place, then "goose" becomes the next "it". If goose tags it before they can take their seat, it must then sit in the middle of the circle, for the next round as goose becomes the new "it" person. The person in the middle can't leave until someone else is tagged and they are replaced.

Stick Ball - No teams are used in this, just a person designated the batter and the rest are in the outfield. Tennis balls are great to reduce risk of breaking windows, and either a bat or stick is used. The batter throws the ball in the air and hits it, then lays the bat or stick on the ground in front of them. Whoever gets the ball first, then rolls the ball to the bat, which causes it to bounce. If the batter does not catch the ball, the person who rolled the ball becomes the next batter. If someone catches a fly ball he/she is automatically the next batter.

Hopscotch - is a hopping game that is fun, good exercise and encourages balance. It can be played either on a cement area, sidewalk or indoor floor. There are many pattern variations, so try different ones, but chalk or tape 8 sections out and number them. Each person has some type of marker that's theirs, like a button, rock, or something else similar.

The first player stands behind the starting line to toss her or his marker in square 1. Hop over square 1 to square 2 and then continue hopping to square 8, turn around, and hop back again. Pause in square 2 to pick up the marker, hop in square 1, and out. Then continue by tossing the stone in square 2. All hopping is done on one foot unless the hopscotch design is such that two squares are side-by-side. Then two feet can be placed down with one in each square. A player must always hop over any square where a maker has been placed.

A player is considered out if the marker doesn't land in the proper square, the hopper steps on a line, the hopper looses his or her balance when bending over to pick up the marker and puts a second hand or foot down, the hopper lands in a square where a marker is, or if a player puts two feet down in a single box. The player puts the marker in the square where he or previously was and it's the next person's turn. Sometimes a rest area is added on the end of the hopscotch pattern where the player can rest for a second or two before hopping back through.

Farmer in the Dell - This game needs about 15 or people or more to stand in a circle. A person is chosen as the Farmer and stands in the middle. Everyone sings, "The farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell; Heigh ho, the Derry-oh the farmer in the dell" and walks around in the circle with the Farmer standing still. The next verse is "The farmer takes a wife . . .," which is sung as the Farmer person chooses another person from the circle to come to the inside. The next verse is "The wife takes a child . . .," when the wife person inside the circle chooses a third person to be the child. This continues with "The child takes a dog . . .," "The dog takes a cat . . .," "The cat takes a rat . . .," and "The rat takes the cheese . . .." The final verse is? The cheese stands alone . . .," when all people on the inside of the circle go back to the outer edge of the circle and sing as the last person chosen "stands alone" in the circle, the game is then finished.

Think back to some of your old favorite games. Write them down. Teach and play them with your children and grandchildren. It creates a special bond, makes special memories and gives them a glimpse of what growing up might have been like for you.

Article Source: http://www.articleadventure.com

By Rachel Ray - Life is short, we need to make time to sniff the roses so to speak and get creative ideas flowing. It's so simple to be over worked and stressed out with all the demands things to do.

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