Five outdoor games for kids
These low-tech games will get your kids outside and active, and yep, a little dirty.
Happily, all you need to get your children outside and playing these simple driveway games is chalk and a few inexpensive items, like bean bags and a cardboard box! And cleaning is a cinch. We promise. So encourage your kids to have an active lifestyle without having to worry about messy stains.
Beanbag Toss.
To play this simple driveway game, draw a box on the driveway or sidewalk with chalk. Give your kids an equal number of beanbags (assign colours to each), and whoever can toss the most bags in the box wins. To make playtime more interesting, up the ante and have them each take two steps back before starting another round.
Hopscotch.
For this classic kids game, use chalk to draw a hopscotch grid on your driveway. Have your kids toss a stick into a square and start hopping to retrieve it. Or forget the stick and let them hop forward, back, on one foot—let them get as silly (and tired) as they want.
Hit the Penny.
Draw two parallel chalk lines six feet apart and place a nickel between them. Take turns throwing a ball at the nickel. Give one point for hitting the nickel and three for flipping it over. Play to 21 points.
Driveway Dice.
Cover an empty, square box with blank paper and add dots so that it looks like a giant die. With sidewalk chalk, draw a winding path with steps along the way. Label one end “Start” and the other “Finish.” Mark each step with a number like “+ 2” or “– 4.” To play, roll the die, walk to your space, and then do the math: If you rolled a 6 and land on 2, you say “6 + 2 = 8” and take the two steps forward (or if it’s a –2, two steps back). That’s one turn. See who gets to the finish line first!
Freestyle Fun.
Drawing whatever you want on the driveway is probably the most low-tech, and most fun, activity there is for a child. Not to mention it gets the kids outdoors. Let your kids create whatever they wish. And if their clothes get chalky, don’t sweat it, Tide is here to help. Just wash the chalk away with Tide PODS® - each one offers detergent, stain remover, and brightener in one. Easy!
Are you looking for more ideas for outdoor fun, but you’re worried things might get a bit messy? Then Tide is here to help. Check out our tips on having fun with mud without having to worry about stains.