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Outdoor Family Games and Ways to Play with Your Kids

When was the last time you, your spouse, and the kids all played outside together? It’s probably been a little while, huh? No worries, it happens. With the allure of smart phones, pads and computer games — outdoor family games and time outside together can tend to go by the wayside.

Even though indoor time is easy to come by, playing outside as a family is completely worth it. Getting the whole family outside to do something together is a fantastic way to spend some quality time together — and enjoy the wellness benefits of outdoor play.

Pulling from the right set of outdoor family games and activities motivates everyone (parents included) to get up off the couch. The best games for kids and parents are competitive for all ages, totally safe, can be played time-and-time again, and may even help your kids develop an athletic skill.

7 Outdoor Games for Adults and Kids

Finding the perfect outdoor games for your family is a mix of being imaginative and practical. For example, very few houses have full NBA basketball courts, but having one hoop is fairly common and plenty of fun. And while it might sound awesome to kickstart a neighborhood game of capture the flag, it might be a little too ambitious. For example, depending on your kids’ ages and skill levels, they might not enjoy a complicated, and potentially frustrating, game like croquet.

Here are some great outdoor family games and activities that work with a variety of ages — and are more likely than an iPad Pro to put a smile on your face!

1. Jump Rope

boy jumping rope

Jumping rope is easy to start but hard to master, which makes it a perfect family activity to get your blood pumping together. Plus, there are nearly limitless variations on jump rope — when you and the kids get the hang of adding fancy tricks to your single jumps, you can graduate to tackling the more complicated stuff like Double Dutch.

Another benefit, jumping rope is almost universally recognized as one of the best cardio exercises and can help build a good sense of rhythm, too.

2. Keep Away

One of the toughest things about playing outside with your kids is finding games that work with the size and skill gaps between kids and adults. Keep away, the simple game of two people on either side playing keep-away catch from the middle person, gets better because of those differences.

Start with a parent in the middle and see how long the kids can keep the ball away from Mom or Dad — they’ll love it.

3. Catch — Football or Baseball
dad and son playing with a ball

The most classic kid-parent activity, playing catch is still a golden source of bonding time and it can teach a valuable skill. In fact, sometimes the best motivator for getting kids outside is helping them learn something they’ll show off at school. Being able to throw a perfect spiral or firing off a baseball can earn your kids some cred at school, and learning to do it is a great way to spend time with Mom or Dad.

4. Cornhole

In recent years, some parents have become a little worried about whether the game of horseshoes is a totally safe outdoor pastime. The good news is that Cornhole is way safer, and to most people, a whole lot more fun, too!

If you don’t have a set of Cornhole boards and bags, they’re worth buying. It can mean hours of outdoor fun. Plus, cornhole is a great outdoor family game because it’s competitive and cooperative. It can be fun to put the kids against the parents, but you can split the teams up in other ways, too. Finally, since Cornhole is kind of based on luck, you and your kids have an equal shot at nailing points like a pro.

5. Hide and Seek
girl playing hide and seek

A throwback to your childhood, playing Hide and Seek is about as classic and fun as outdoor activities get. Seriously, if you get pumped about Hide and Seek, so will your kids! Being a kid actually provides a big advantage in this game – small children can find some really great hiding places that adults just can’t fit in!

6. HORSE

Another fun outdoor family game that helps kids build skills that they can take to school, HORSE is a great way to practice basketball fundamentals while just having some goofy, lightly-competitive fun. Once your kids start to see their skills develop and get invested in the intra-family rivalry, they’ll be begging you to come out and play with them.

7. Family Fun on a Playset or Swing Set
family playing outside on swing set

This is one of the ultimate ways to get your kids to LOVE the outdoors. Our ultra-colorful, multi-level playsets provide hours of fun for kids. And as a parent, you can be right there with them, pushing them on the swings or playing on the set. An important fact, safety is a crucial component of every Adventure World Playset we build.

Learn more about the high quality of our playsets.

Adventure World Play Sets are completely customizable, meaning you can enjoy extra additions tailored to your family’s tastes. Whether that’s something athletic like overhead climbers or rock walls, to something imaginative like a lemonade stand or a ship’s wheel and periscope.

See some of our exciting playset models right here.

Find an Adventure World Playset Dealer Near You

While kids love the bright colors and all of the possibilities of their Adventure World Playset, parents love the American-made quality and foundation of safety behind every custom-built set.

Adventure World Play Sets are sold nationwide throughout our large dealer network. If you want to learn more about providing the ultimate outdoor play sets and accessories, find a dealer near you.

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