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!
- Fun activities for junior high school students. Recreation games.
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Recommended outdoor recreation for middle schoolers: A roundup of fun outdoor activities (1–10)
Kabaddi
Kabaddi, a team sport originating in India, is also popular in Japan.
It features a unique rule that the attacker must continuously chant “kabaddi” during play.
Two teams of seven players alternate between offense and defense.
From the offensive team, select one attacker called a “raider.” If the raider touches any of the seven defenders and returns safely, the team earns points equal to the number of players touched.
Try incorporating this exciting, competition-proven sport into your outdoor activities.
Cops and Robbers
The playground game known as “Dorokei” or “Keidoro,” depending on the region—didn’t you all play it at least once in elementary school? The name is an abbreviation of “dorobō to keisatsu” (thieves and police), and as the name suggests, players split into police and thief teams.
The police count while the thieves run away.
The police catch thieves and take them to jail, and if all the thieves are captured, the police win.
However, there’s also a rule that thieves can go to the jail and free captured teammates.
It’s fun to set a time limit, and adding your own house rules can make it even more exciting!
Mr. Wolf, what time is it now?
It’s a game you can enjoy with rules that feel like a mix of “Red Light, Green Light” and tag.
One player is the Wolf, and the others are Kids.
The Kids ask the Wolf, “Mr.
Wolf, what time is it?” When the Wolf answers with a time, each Kid moves toward the Wolf by the same number of steps as the hour said.
The Kids say, “Phew, good!” as they advance.
Once the Kids have come fairly close, if the Wolf answers, “It’s midnight!” the game turns into a chase: the Kids run for home, and if they make it, they’re safe; if they’re caught, they switch roles and become the Wolf.
It’s fun for young children, but it becomes even more strategic when played by middle schoolers, making it a highly recommended recreation game.
BlindSquare
“Blind Square,” where you work with teammates to make a perfect square, sounds like something everyone could enjoy.
Making a square while blindfolded and holding a rope seems a bit tricky, but it sounds fun to try while calling out to each other.
It could also deepen your bonds with friends.
It might be perfect for homeroom or outdoor activities.
Find a spacious area, keep safety in mind, and have a lively time together.
Even if it doesn’t go well, being able to laugh about the mistakes is one of the best parts of playing with friends.
Give it a try!
Cross Demon
A game of tag played within a set boundary: Cross Tag.
Draw a cross, 50 centimeters wide, inside a square court.
The tagger can only move along that cross, while the runners move anywhere within the square court to escape.
Runners can traverse from square to square, but only in a predetermined direction—either clockwise or counterclockwise.
If a runner is tagged or steps into the cross where the tagger moves, they’re out and must leave the court.
It’s simple, but games like this can get surprisingly intense!
campfire
With the outdoor boom of the past few years, campfire videos have become popular on video sites, haven’t they? Watching fire can be soothing and calming, but when it comes to a campfire, it’s on a scale that usually only happens with a large group at an event.
The solemn, almost ritual-like time leading up to lighting the fire, and then watching the flames steadily grow, is fun to witness and sure to lift your spirits.
There are many ways to enjoy it—dancing folk dances in front of the roaring flames, playing games everyone can join, and more.
Gourd Demon
Ice Oni and Color Oni are well-known, but have you heard of “Gourd Oni”? You draw a gourd shape on the ground, and the runners have to stay and run around inside it.
The Oni tags people from outside the gourd—if you get tagged, you switch and become the Oni, and repeat.
The Oni is allowed to jump over the narrow, pinched “neck” of the gourd.
When drawing the gourd, make it just narrow enough at the neck that the Oni can barely clear it with a jump, and big enough to fit all the runners.
You can keep playing endlessly, so it’s a great game when you’ve got plenty of time.
kotoro-kotoro (onomatopoeic; a light rattling/rolling sound)
Despite its cute name, “Kotorokotoro” is surprisingly intense.
First, four people line up like a pretend train.
The tagger wins if they can touch the person at the end of the line.
Of course, the last person tries to get away, while the three in front move desperately to protect them.
If, while moving around, anyone in the line lets go of hands, they’re out—at that moment, the tagger wins.
If the tagger doesn’t touch the last person and the line doesn’t break within about 20 seconds, the team in the line wins.
It’s tougher than you’d think, but if you’re a physically strong middle schooler, try extending the time limit or adding a few more people to the line!
Hula hoop relay
If you’ve got a big group and want to play a team game, try the Hula Hoop Pass! Line up in a row and hold hands.
At the start signal, the person at the front passes the hula hoop over their body and along the line until it reaches the last person.
You have to move your whole body to get the hoop through, but you must not use your hands or let go of the hands of the people next to you.
This game works well even with differences in body size and with mixed-gender groups.
Having people who’ve passed through the hoop call out cheers can boost team spirit, too.
You can also send the hoop back to the front once it reaches the last person.
long rope jumping
A great game for strengthening bonds among classmates and friends is group jump rope with a long rope! Unlike solo jump rope, everyone has to synchronize their timing, so it’s a bit more challenging.
The key to jumping for a long time is not lifting your feet too high.
Also, the people turning the rope should lower their hips and hold a steady stance.
It’s also fun to have people enter the turning rope one by one, or to play while singing classic jump-rope songs from childhood, like “The Postman.”