[Active Outdoors!] A roundup of garden games you can enjoy with your kids
With more time spent at home and the growing popularity of DIY, there are more chances to play in the backyard!
Still, many people may be unsure what kind of games you can play or what you need to prepare when it comes to backyard fun.
In this article, we’ll introduce popular backyard activities recommended for kids!
From games that require store-bought tools to ones where you make the tools yourself, these activities all make the most of your home garden.
If kids only play indoors, they can become inactive and lose stamina—which isn’t good.
Even if you can’t go far, let’s get moving and play to the fullest in your own backyard!
- Recommended outdoor games you can enjoy without any equipment
- Backyard play ideas: Easy ways to have fun with kids! How to make use of your garden
- Play ideas kids can enjoy from 1st to 6th grade [indoors & outdoors]
- Get Active! Outdoor Play Ideas for Elementary School Kids
- Fun Indoor Games for Elementary School Kids Without Any Equipment
- Outdoor games and recreational activities recommended for children
- [For Kids] Outdoor Recreation Games: Fun Outdoor Play
- [Make with Kids] Handmade Outdoor Play Toy Special
- Kids Will Love It! Fun Games for Your Barbecue
- Fun nature activities that children will love. Recreational games.
- Play equipment that makes the park more fun. Popular outdoor play toys.
- Enjoy traditional games with your kids! A collection of DIY stilts (made from bamboo) ideas
- [Latest] A roundup of perfect toys for outdoor play [Classics]
[Get Active Outdoors!] A Roundup of Backyard Games Kids Can Enjoy (11–20)
water gun
If you want to have a blast in the yard on a sunny day, play with water guns! Since you’ll be using water, wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet, or a swimsuit.
You can buy water guns at 100-yen shops or online.
They come in all kinds of shapes: the classic pistol type, machine-gun style, and lately even backpack types.
With those, you won’t have to waste time refilling water.
Have fun spraying each other and playing together.
It’s also fun to add color to the water using food coloring.
If you wear a white T-shirt you don’t mind getting stained, you can instantly see where you got hit, so you can even play survival-style games.
It’s the kind of play you can really enjoy because you’re outdoors.
Paper airplane throwing
You can play paper airplane flying anywhere you have space to launch them.
Throw the paper airplane with the same arm motion you use to pitch a baseball.
If you use a rubber catapult, it will fly even farther—give it a try.
A rubber catapult is like a small launcher that uses a rubber band.
Reinforce the nose of the paper airplane with thick paper and make a small slit.
Hook a rubber band into that slit, aim slightly upward, and launch.
Since launching with a rubber catapult increases flight distance, you’ll need to tweak your paper airplane for better range.
Once you’ve built it, head outside, do some test flights, and have fun competing with your friends!
jump rope
Jump rope has all kinds of tricks, and you can play solo or with a few people, so there are lots of ways to enjoy it.
Plus, you only need a little space, so it’s great for playing in the backyard.
All you need is a jump rope, and you can even buy one at a 100-yen shop.
Start by setting a goal like “I’m going to make it to 10 jumps!”—it really boosts your motivation.
Once you can do 10, increase the count and aim for 100 if you can! When you reach 100, try competing with your family to keep pushing your record—it’s a lot of fun.
Before you know it, you’ll be drenched in sweat, and your stamina will improve as a bonus.
trampoline
One origin of the trampoline is said to be its use as a circus attraction in ancient times, when the very act of bouncing up and down was novel.
It became an official Olympic event at the 2000 Sydney Games.
Small home trampolines have also become quite common.
If you have a trampoline at home, take it out into the yard on a sunny day and have some bouncy fun! Jumping on a trampoline under the sun may feel different from doing it indoors.
The breeze on your skin will definitely feel different too!
Frisbee
You can make full use of the yard from end to end when playing with a Frisbee.
The bigger the yard, the better, but you don’t need a space as large as a park to have plenty of fun.
If your yard is on the smaller side, you can reduce the Frisbee’s spin when throwing to make it easier to play at shorter distances.
And if you have a dog, getting them to catch the Frisbee is a lot of fun, too! On the technical side, the disc’s trajectory changes a lot depending on the release angle, so it’s also enjoyable to try out different Frisbee tricks.
It’s simple, so it’s an easy, highly recommended game for kids.