Beat the summer heat with creative outdoor games that can be played in the backyard. Most of these games requires things that families already have: water guns, water balloons, buckets, sponges and sidewalk chalk. Don’t have water balloons? Try substituting zip lock bags filled with water – they work great, are reusable and are more easy to fill.
Water Balloon Games
Wet Potato: A variation on “hot potato” but substitute a water balloon for the hot spud. Kids might want to lose this game!
Water Balloon Toss: Players stand facing each other about two steps apart. A water balloon is tossed from one player to the other. Break the balloon and you’re out. Catch the balloon and you have to take one more step apart. This game can also be played by many children, by forming two lines facing each other and play until the last pair of children break their balloon.
Water Balloon Dodge Ball: Use water balloons instead of balls to play dodge ball. Players are out when they are hit by a balloon.
Water Gun Games
Water Gun Soak the Flag: This is a variation on Capture the Flag. Give each team water guns and buckets for refilling. Each team gets a “flag” to protect by keeping it dry. The flag can be a piece of colored paper tied to a tree or fence. Each team gets to decide where to place their flag – but it must remain in the open – and how to defend it, but cannot touch or move the flag after starting the game. The winner is the first team to soak their opponent’s flag.
Water Gun Sharpshooter: Set up targets to knock down with water guns. Stack plastic cups or empty soda cans in a pyramid, or line them up on a fence rail or patio table. Empty water bottles can also be used for targets. Start the contest by allowing each player to stand ten paces from the target. Increase the challenge with each round by increasing the distance from the target. Can also be played with Nerf guns.
Wet Sponge Games
Hoop Goal: One player holds a Hula Hoop over their head or to the side. The other players must throw a wet sponge through the hoop to score points.
Water Hopscotch: Draw a hopscotch squares on the sidewalk or driveway with large chalk. Each child has to hop the pattern while holding a cup of water. Keep playing until only one player has any water left.
Sponge Tag: Played like normal tag, but It uses a wet sponge to tag his or her opponents.
Tic Tac Sponge Toe: Requires 10 sponges in two different colors. Large sponges can be cut into squares to make several smaller sponges. Draw a large Tic Tac Toe grid on the side walk or drive way. Each player get a different colored sponge. Toss wet sponges onto the grid to play.
Sprinkler Games
Obstacle Course: Set up an obstacle course in the backyard. Use imagination and whatever’s handy to create (safe) obstacles. Players could run a zigzag around lawn chairs, have to throw a ball into a box, crawl through a Hula Hoop or run through the sprinklers. Obstacles can be marked with lengths of rope: have children hop over the rope or run through a twisty path marked out with rope. Lay dish towels on the grown and have the players jump from square to square.
Any summer game is more fun when water is added to the mix. Make sure that kids (and parents) know they’re going to get wet while playing these games. Players should wear old clothes that can get wet or wear their swimsuit.
 |
