Outdoor games for large groups. Fun, exciting games for kids.

Human Othello

Human Othello

This is “Human Othello,” played with hats that have different colors on the inside and outside.

Just like Othello, you increase your teammates by sandwiching the other color between your own color.

First, set up a large court and split into two teams with the same number of players.

Move freely within the court for 10 seconds, then stop.

After that, teams take turns moving to sandwich members of the opposing team.

You can move up to three steps at a time.

When you sandwich an opponent, say “Othello,” and the sandwiched person should flip their hat to the other team’s color.

The team with more people when a set time has passed wins, or the team that ends up with only one person left loses.

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sasashina

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circular dodgeball

circular dodgeball

There are many games derived from regular dodgeball, such as Super Dodgeball and Donut Dodgeball.

That just shows how popular the sport/game is with so many people.

I’d love to enjoy it outdoors on a sunny day.

If you want to increase physical activity, I recommend “circular dodgeball.” Instead of a square court, you play in a circle, and because you can’t tell where you’ll be targeted from, you end up looking around and moving more.

If you’re playing coed, it might be good to add handicaps like “men must throw with their left hand.” It’s also important to confirm the rule “don’t aim above the neck!”

Transformation Group Relay

Fun Warm-Up 2 [Game-Style Warm-Up]

A fun activity that also works as a pre-sport warm-up is the “Modified Group Relay.” Because it’s done in groups, communication is key! Form a line of 5–7 people standing single file, leaving space between each person.

Use your whole body with movements like weaving through the gaps between people with a zigzag run, jumping over teammates who are lying down, and crawling under teammates who are prone.

It’s a relay format, so race to see which team finishes all the same movements first! It’s great for school events and recreational activities, so give it a try.

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miyabi

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pulling up a daikon radish

pulling up a daikon radish

Pulling daikon radishes out of the field takes strength and technique—it’s hard work, right? That’s the idea behind this game, “Daikon Pulling.” The people playing the radish role lie face down in a circle and link arms tightly with the people next to them.

The “oni” (tagger) pulls at their legs as if pulling up a radish, trying to yank a radish player out of the circle.

Once someone is pulled out, the adjacent players quickly re-link their arms tightly to prepare for the next pull.

The person who was pulled out becomes an oni and works together with the other oni to pull out more radishes!

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utatane

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Drop the Handkerchief

Folklore Play Newspaper #9: “Drop the Handkerchief”

A game I highly recommend for both indoors and outdoors is “Handkerchief Drop.” The rules are very simple: everyone except the It player sits in a circle facing inward with their heads down.

The It runs around the outside of the circle and drops a handkerchief behind someone.

When the person realizes the handkerchief has been dropped behind them, they chase the It; if they manage to tag them, they’re safe.

If they can’t tag them, they switch and become the new It.

It’s a game full of fun mind games—those seated try to sense when the handkerchief is dropped, while the It can pretend to still be holding it even after dropping it.

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Ryo

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Oshikura Manju Demon

Push-and-shove Demon

It’s often played in winter as “oshikura manju.” Written in kanji, it’s 押し競饅頭, with the 競 part corresponding to “kura.” You don’t need any equipment, so it’s highly recommended for its simplicity.

Draw a circle on the ground sized to fit the number of players.

The “it” (oni) waits outside the circle, while the friends inside push against each other, trying to force others out of the circle.

If you’re touched by the oni outside the circle, you lose.

Those inside the circle must not use their hands, so make sure they’re crossed over the chest.

Bigger players might have an advantage, so it’s more fun when everyone is about the same age.

It’s a great game to warm up with in a big group!

Hide-and-seek

[Thrilling] Real Hide-and-Seek at an Elementary School!

Isn’t “hide-and-seek” the quintessential outdoor game? I think everyone has played it at least once.

When we were little, we often hid inside the house too.

The key to making it exciting is to decide in advance where it’s okay to hide.

If the area is too large, it actually gets less exciting.

Set rules ahead of time to avoid bothering others—like no hiding on someone’s private property or going into stores.

It’s a game adults and children can enjoy together, so try playing in a large park or another place where play is allowed.