Five Outdoor Games for the Family

Ladder Ball

Ladder Ball is a popular outdoor game. It’s played by tossing two tiny balls, joined together by a short rope, onto a ladder. The ladder has a top, middle, and bottom step. It can be tough, but the object of the game is to wrap the enjoined golf balls around the steps of the ladder. Ladder Ball can be played with two or more players or teams. The game must be purchased.

Hula Hoop Obstacle Course

While Ladder Ball may not be suitable for 3-5-year-olds, Hula Hoop Obstacle Course is perfect for this age group. The best part is that it only takes five minutes to set up! Layout six hula hoops fairly close to each other. Then have the kids line up. The goal is for each child to hopscotch in all hula hoops. It will help your kids have fun, build dexterity, and maybe even grow their confidence! Spice it up and move the hoops further apart. This will challenge your kiddos even further. If you don’t have enough hula hoops on hand, you can create circles with rope or use the driveway to trace out a route with chalk.

Capture the Flag

Capture the Flag provides players with a quick-paced, mix of exercise and fun. It’s best played in a large outdoor space, where at least two or more teams each have a flag. The objective is for one team to capture the other team’s flag, located at the team’s home base, and bring it back to their own base without being tagged. There is no need to purchase the game. Simply make the flags (one per team) from brightly colored t-shirts, socks, or old aprons and glue them to sticks. You can even use old colored-plastic bags as the flags.

To play, find a cleared area, create your teams, and place one flag in each territory for a total of at least three territories. These can be out in the open or partially hidden. Before the game begins, teams might huddle together to determine who will go on the offense to find the other team’s flag, and who will act as guards to protect their own flag. Within their territory players cannot be tagged by opposing players. When a player crosses into the other team’s territory, they can be captured. If the opposing team tags the player, they must be jailed or do five jumping jacks before returning to their own territory. The game ends when one team has grabbed the flags from the other team and returned to their own territory. Tackling is not allowed.

Yard Tower

This game may provide great entertainment for your family. Most anyone can play and have a good time; however, the game may not be suitable for toddlers. Yard Tower usually consists of 54 wooden blocks that are stacked on top of each other. Each player takes turns removing and re-stacking the blocks. The game is over when either the tower collapses or if a block falls from the tower. Yard Tower (otherwise known as Yard Jenga, Tumbling Timbers, or Toppling Tower), can be played by two or more players. The game can be purchased from several stores, ETSY, or be made at home (See DIY Pete’s Instructions.)

Flickin Chicken

Flickin Chicken must be purchased, but this fun game is worth it. The cost averages between $17.50 and $23.00 per game. Picture a combination of miniature golf with tossing a rubber chicken, and you’ve discovered Flicken’ Chicken. Good for ages 6 and up, the game is easy to master. To play: 1) Throw the target disc as far as you can. 2) Be mindful of how the Target Disc lands. You’ll see that one side has a bonus spot and the other side has a penalty spot. 3) Players rotate throwing the Flickin’ Chickens at the Target Disc. 4) Each throw is assigned a point. Bonus and Penalty points can change who is in first place! 5) The player with the least amount of points wins the round. Flickin Chicken is comprised of nine rounds of chicken throwing!