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14 Good, Old Fashioned, Outdoor Games for Kids

good old fashioned outdoor games for kids

As I write this it is a beautiful, sunny Winter’s afternoon. Through the open doors I can hear the sounds of children next door playing ouside – the loud, exaggerated counting and giggles associated with a good old fashioned game of hide and seek. It is the perfect sound to accompany this sunny day and brings to mind childhood memories of…

Good, old fashioned, outdoor games like

  1. Hide and seek
  2. Hopscotch
  3. Duck, duck, goose
  4. Scarecrow tag
  5. What’s the time, Mr Wolf?
  6. Please, Mr Crocodile, may we cross the river?
  7. Elastics (Chinese jump rope)
  8. Jump rope
  9. Hula hooping
  10. Piggy in the middle (Keep Away)
  11. Knucklebones (Jack Stones)
  12. Marbles
  13. Four square (Hand Ball)
  14. Dodgeball (in all honesty, I hated this one!)

Which have these games have you shared with your children? What are others you would add to the list? As for me, I am off to draw a hopscotch grid with chalk right now before Immy wakes up. I am sure she won’t really get the whole idea of the game just yet but she will love jumping in the squares just the same 🙂

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Christie Burnett is an early childhood teacher, presenter, writer and the editor of Childhood 101. More importantly, she is a Mum who believes wholeheartedly in the value of children learning through play, the importance of quality early education, and the togetherness of family.

Read more of Christie's adventures at https://childhood101.com.

Read the comments or scroll down to add your own:

  2. Lindsay says

    August 8, 2010 at 8:55 PM

    I loved playing freeze tag, red rover red rover, and flashlight tag as a kid! My 3 year old loves "hopscotch" (the modified version).

  4. katepickle says

    August 9, 2010 at 5:46 AM

    my girls love these kinds of games... we spent lots of time earlier this year learning how to skip and that is a firm favourite!

  5. Gill@OurParklife says

    August 9, 2010 at 7:03 AM

    i loved Mr Crocodile may I cross the river?

    Good old Ring a ring a rosy is currently a fave at this house...

    And I hated Dodgeball too...freaked me out when I was a kid! I was actually told by my mentor teacher on my last prac that Dodgeball is a big no no now in schools? Is this correct?

  6. Gill@OurParklife says

    August 9, 2010 at 7:04 AM

    oh and like Squigglemum - I played Elastics with my friends for hours

    "England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales, Inside, Outside, Puppy Dog Tails!"

  7. Lara from Silk Playground says

    August 9, 2010 at 10:41 AM

    Leap frog and red rover are all the rage here. When I was a kid it was all about cartwheels.

  10. Busy Brissy Mum says

    August 10, 2010 at 7:14 AM

    I couldn't tell you how many times I've played Duck, Duck, Goose with kids groups I've worked with. Not really a fav with me but they will play it over and over.

    At home I've shown Miss M the game of hopscotch but it really gets played more like you were expecting Immy to play it. Our absolute favourite is a game of family Hide 'n' Seek.

    I can't wait to get Miss M hoola hooping and skipping, well she thinks she can already do it but clearly she can't - very funny!

  11. Tricia at Mom is the Only Girl says

    August 10, 2010 at 11:09 AM

    I'm excited to try some of these, although with adjustments for one 3 1/2 yr old and a toddler! Sometimes I need a good reminder of things I can do with them!

  12. Sweet Rustic says

    November 1, 2010 at 1:59 AM

    We used to also play ring a ring a rosie, stuck in the mud and red rover cross over. I also remember loving playing with one of those massive parachutes in kindergarten where you'd put balls on them & make them bounce around or ppl would go under & you'd try & catch them.. Good fun.

  13. Linda Scarbrough says

    April 11, 2011 at 12:06 AM

    The list of children's games is intriguing. I do know and play several with my preschool students, but am unfamiliar with others on your list. Have you or could you give the directions or game rules for the games listed below? • Scarecrows • What’s the time, Mr. Wolf? • Please, Mr. Crocodile, may we cross the river? • Elastics Is this like Chinese Jump Rope? • Piggy in the middle • Knucklebones (jack stones) • Marbles

  14. Tenecia Tapplar says

    June 24, 2011 at 5:42 AM

    I am looking for old fashion hand jacks. They were small metal 5 prong stars that stood up or stacked up on the floor when you flip them on the back of your hand. It also came with a small rubber ball. I am 51 yrs old played with them when I was 8, 9, 10 on my grandparnets porch. Tenecia

  18. Diane says

    September 5, 2014 at 12:54 AM

    My mom used to talk about a game she played in the twenties called RING A LEAP EO? or something like that. Does anyone know what that was? I never asked her.

  19. Octavia says

    March 28, 2016 at 11:02 AM

    My current favorites: Jump rope Marbles I also like to do skipping stones That's really all! I am mostly climbing trees,biking and running around. (When my leg isn't hurt from biking) Still a kid but no one in my class likes to play games from over 10 years ago. I don't know why. I mostly play jump-rope with myself or and jumping the bleachers with my friends at schools. There not the "Strange" (Apperently) Kind. (There strange to me) I mostly enjoy what I mentioned.

  22. Sandra D says

    November 29, 2017 at 10:46 PM

    Old Grey Mare May I 123 Red light I spy something. Old Maid Marbles, Jacks Jump rope, Tops & Yoyo's Old Grey Mare

  23. Sandra D says

    November 29, 2017 at 11:18 PM

    Button, Button, Who's got the button, A tiskit, a tasket, a green and yellow basket, I wrote a letter to my fellow and on the way, I dropped it. (as you can guess I don't remember the name to this one, Just the chant. Hot Potato (Mr. Bush)

  25. Bobby Salitrik says

    April 10, 2018 at 1:27 AM

    Does anyone know or remember a game plan yet with a rubber ball called tables

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