Recommended outdoor games you can enjoy without any equipment
We were all set to have a blast playing outside, but realized we didn’t have any equipment like balls or rackets! So here are some outdoor games you can enjoy even without any gear.
All you need are the people you’re playing with! You might use things you find in nature or draw lines in the sand, but there’s no need to bring anything from home.
There are games for big groups as well as ones that are fun with just a few people, so if you find something you want to try, give it a go!
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Recommended outdoor games you can enjoy without any equipment (1–10)
Red Light, Green Light
“Daruma-san ga koronda.” This is a classic outdoor game you can enjoy without any equipment.
While the “it” player faces away and chants, everyone else creeps closer.
If you’re caught moving when they turn around, you’re out! The last person remaining wins, but it’s also important to escape once the “it” player tags and chains onto someone.
The chant can be switched up—for example, to something like “Bon-san farted”—to make it even more fun.
It works with large or small groups, so it’s sure to liven up any impromptu outing.
Let’s all get moving and have a blast together!
Tag
Tag is a game anyone can enjoy.
You don’t need any equipment, so you can start anytime, anywhere.
The rules are simple, so both kids and adults can have fun together.
You’ll be running around, leaving both your body and mind refreshed—and it’s good for your health, too.
Play with friends or family and you might grow even closer.
You’re sure to have a time full of smiles.
Come on, let’s all head outside and have a blast! Moving your body feels great.
Tag (or Tag, holding hands)
Do you know “Hand-Holding Tag”? It’s a classic outdoor game you can enjoy with a crowd in a big park or on a playground.
The person who’s “it” chases everyone, and when they tag someone, they hold hands and become “it” together.
The number of “it” players keeps growing, so the runners are on the edge of their seats! It’s not just about speed—keeping an eye on your surroundings and finding good escape routes is key.
You don’t need any special equipment, and everyone can get excited together.
Kids of course, but adults too can have fun and feel like a child again.
How about getting some fresh air and moving your body to the fullest?
Recommended outdoor games (11–20) that are fun to play without any equipment
lecher; sex maniac; satyr
Iro-oni is a tag game where players search for a specified color while running away from the “it.” In regular tag you only need to avoid being touched, but in this version there’s a rule: as long as you’re touching the color designated by the “it,” you can’t be tagged—even if they’re right next to you.
If you can’t find the color, you might end up being chased alone, so quickly find and touch the specified color.
You don’t need any equipment, but it can be hard to play in places with few colors, so try a park with colorful play equipment.
grass sumo
It’s a game where you hook long blades of grass together and pull to see whose grass stays intact without breaking.
Since it’s a play activity that uses plants, an important aspect is how it draws attention to the surrounding nature.
The key to winning is choosing a stronger plant than your opponent’s—try to gauge how dense and sturdy it is and prepare the toughest grass you can find.
If you both pick plants from the same area, it reduces differences in species and makes the game fairer.
As you play more rounds, you might also discover better pulling techniques.
Hide-and-seek
Hide-and-seek brings back that childhood thrill, doesn’t it? The charm is that you can start as soon as everyone’s gathered.
Once you pick who’s “it,” all that’s left is to find a hiding spot.
You can tuck yourself away in the shade of trees at the park, behind playground equipment, in the shadow of buildings—there are so many places to hide.
That heart-pounding feeling of almost being found is irresistible.
Some people race to see who’s fastest, others plan out strategies—everyone has their own way to have fun.
It’s a game that gets everyone excited while keeping safety in mind.
And the best part is, you can still enjoy it as an adult with family and friends.
Gatekeeper Rock-Paper-Scissors
A game that combines tag and rock-paper-scissors—the rules are easy to understand because it merges two classic games.
When a child is caught by the tagger, they play rock-paper-scissors.
If the child wins, the tagger must wait in place for 10 seconds, and the child avoids being caught and keeps running.
If the tagger wins, the child is taken to the tagger’s base and must stay there until rescued by a teammate.
Children who haven’t been caught try to evade the taggers on the field while challenging the gatekeepers at the tagger’s base to rock-paper-scissors in order to rescue their teammates.
Even those who aren’t fast runners have a chance to escape if they can win at rock-paper-scissors, so it’s likely more accessible than regular tag.