Recommended outdoor recreation for junior high school students: A roundup of fun outdoor activities
Even in junior high, it’s fun to play in the schoolyard during breaks and get active outside after school or on days off, isn’t it?
There are also plenty of times when everyone needs a bit of recreation, like during homeroom or for outdoor activities as part of class.
So in this article, we’ll introduce a bunch of outdoor games that junior high students can enjoy!
We’ve included not only classic games you’ve been familiar with since elementary school, but also some that are a bit unusual.
Learn the rules and have fun playing together!
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Outdoor recreation recommended for junior high school students: A roundup of fun outdoor activities (11–20)
Dodgebee
A classic recreational activity: dodgeball.
Many people must have played it all the time in elementary school.
Now there’s an evolved version of dodgeball? It’s called “Dodgebee,” played not with a ball but with a soft flying disc.
Regular dodgeballs can come in fast, and getting hit by a hard-thrown ball hurts.
But with Dodgebee, it doesn’t hurt much when you’re hit, you won’t jam your fingers on a ball, and the risk of injury is lower—big pluses.
The rules are the same as dodgeball, so it’s easy to understand and a sport everyone can enjoy together.
Ring B Speed Competition
Have you heard of Ringbee? It’s a slightly unusual, ring-shaped Frisbee.
Using it to race with your teammates is called “Ringbee Speed Competition.” The key is to pass smoothly while running, like in a relay.
It’s all about teamwork and leg speed! You might get pretty winded, though.
But it’s so satisfying to really move your body and feel everyone improving together.
It’s perfect not only for PE class but also for recess.
It’s an outdoor game where you can call out to each other and have a blast.
It’ll probably strengthen your bonds with friends, too!
Red light, green light
How about playing the classic game “Daruma-san ga koronda”? In this game, you can only move forward while the person who’s “it” has their back turned.
It’s a heart-pounding, exciting activity even for middle schoolers.
It’s even more fun in a large space like a schoolyard or park.
If you play with a big group, it can be exciting to plan strategies together to move without the “it” person noticing.
The rules are simple, so you can start right away.
It’s perfect for middle schoolers: an outdoor game that gets you moving while strengthening friendships.
human disentanglement puzzle
How about playing a human “wisdom ring” that uses both your head and your body? Everyone forms a circle.
First, take your right hand and hold someone else’s hand who is not directly to your right, then do the same with your left hand, avoiding the person directly to your left.
From there, without letting go of hands, untangle yourselves like solving a puzzle—ducking under arms or stepping over as needed—until you’ve unraveled the tangle and re-formed a hand-holding circle.
It’s great because you don’t need any equipment and the number of participants doesn’t matter much.
You can even make it a team competition to see which group can solve it the fastest.
Ice tag
Born as a variation of tag, “Freeze Tag” is a game that gets more exciting the more players you have.
Start by assigning about 20% of the group as taggers, then begin the game.
If you’re tagged, you freeze in place and can’t move.
Unlike regular tag, the taggers don’t switch out until the round ends, so they need to catch everyone.
However, frozen players can be revived if a teammate touches them, which makes defense just as important as chasing.
Because the taggers’ running ability has a big impact, when middle schoolers—who often have noticeable fitness differences—play, look at the members and divide the teams to keep things balanced.
Tail tag
This is a recreation game that can be played with a simple rule: everyone tucks a “tail” into the back of their pants and tries to grab each other’s tails.
While aiming for your opponent’s tail, you also have to protect your own, so you need to move while thinking carefully about when to attack.
You can start with a large group all at once, make it a team battle, try one-on-one, or—especially for younger children—have just one person like a teacher wear a tail and everyone else chase them.
The rules are easy to understand at a glance, yet the game has surprising depth.
It’s an outdoor activity we’d love middle schoolers to try.
Treasure Hunt
A treasure hunt that captivates not only children but also adults.
While it’s often held indoors, try expanding the area to the outdoors! You can freely set the range—schoolyards, courtyards, parks, and more are all OK.
Unlike indoors, it’s harder to find places to hide the treasure, but use playground equipment, storage sheds, trees, and other features to hide it well.
Simply searching is fun, but we recommend preparing puzzles to solve along the way before reaching the treasure.
The joy of finally finding it after solving each riddle is on a whole other level.
If you’re designing the puzzles or hiding the treasure, try incorporating regular lesson content to create your treasure hunt game!
A Day in the Life of Daruma
When it comes to games perfect for livening up outdoor activities for junior high school students, Daruma-san’s Day is a great pick.
It’s a twist on the classic “Daruma-san ga koronda” (Red Light, Green Light), so you can play while reminiscing about childhood.
Players carry out challenges called out by the tagger and gradually move closer to the goal.
Give unique prompts like “Daruma-san ate a meal,” for example.
You can start with easy prompts and gradually increase the difficulty.
It’s a game that requires no equipment and can be enjoyed by both small and large groups.
Spoon relay
The ladle relay, often seen at sports days, is also great as a recreational activity because the items you need are easy to gather.
The rules are simple: place a ping-pong ball on a ladle, run without dropping it, and compete in a relay format, so even junior high school students should enjoy it.
It’s harder to keep your balance than it looks, and being fast isn’t enough to win, so choosing the members and their order adds to the excitement.
Once a winner is decided, you can switch members and play again—it’s a game you can enjoy over and over.
Ball Passing Race
Ball-passing relays are one of the most popular outdoor games.
The rules are super simple, but coordinating the timing as a team is tricky, so it’s a constant thrill.
It seems even more fun when there’s a height difference! It can train your reaction speed and concentration, and above all, it’s great because you can get excited together with friends.
You can improve your communication skills while being active—more like three birds with one stone than two.
I think it’s a wonderful game that everyone can enjoy together during breaks or after school.