Fair weather is upon us! Here is an array of small outdoor games for the family! With the weekend just around the corner, what could be better than spending some quality time together?

Here are some ideas for outdoor games that will make you laugh and keep the family entertained for several hours all the while requiring almost no preparation. Why not keep track of points and make it a family tournament on a beautiful sunny day?

 

Due to COVID-19, you are advised to play with family members only to limit the risk of spread.

Try to limit food waste as much as possible.

 

Here are the games :

''Le surveillant'' 

The game : 

(No preparation necessary) 

A participant stands leaning against a wall (or tree) with his head between his arms, this is “Le surveillant”. The other participants are placed in line, approximately 15 m behind “Le surveillant”. At the signal, participants freely approach “Le surveillant”, while walking or running.

But “Le surveillant” has the right to turn around suddenly and this, whenever he wants. The other players must then be stationary. If he surprises one of the moving players, he designates them, and they must return to the starting line. Whoever succeeds in reaching and touching “Le surveillant” without being seen becomes “Le surveillant” for the next round.

The players then return to the starting line and the game begins again.

The Egg and spoon race

Preparation : 

Material :  

  • An egg and a spoon for each participant

You can choose to use hard boiled eggs. A variant allows you to replace the egg with a small potato, or a ping pong ball, for less damage, waste … and stress!

The game : 

Like the game of bobbing for apples bellow, the egg and spoon race is a great way to develop your coordination and balance!

Competitors line up at the starting point, each of them holding a spoon with the egg in one hand. The players run towards the finish line with their second hand behind the back, trying not to drop their eggs.

Participants whose egg falls on the ground must restart from the starting point. The first player to cross the finish line wins.

Possible variants: Make the race more difficult by adding obstacles! You can also use raw eggs with older children; in this case if the egg falls, the participant has lost.

Koekhappen 

Preparation :  

Material :  

  • Homemade ginger or banana bread (or soft cookies) and some string or yarn.

Hang the bread on the end of the string hanging from a tree branch or some other structure.

The game :  

This is a traditional Dutch game for children.

Having blindfolded their eyes and their hands behind their backs, each participant takes turns trying to eat the food from the string.

There’s never really a winner, it’s just for plain fun.

There are a few variations to Koekhappen’s game which could offer a more complete and healthy snack. It could even serve as a celebratory meal as the last leg of the tournament! Try cutting an apple into quarters, punching a hole in each piece and passing the string through this hole to hang the fruit.

You can also use  fresh grapes, slices of bread, slices of cheese or sausage! The menu is up to you!

''Loup y es-tu?'' (Are you there wolf?)  

The game : 

(No preparation necessary) 

The Wolf, who is selected randomly, stands in a corner of the designated play area. The other players stand in front of him, singing, dancing and asking: «Loup y es-tu? Que fais-tu? M’entends-tu?» or ”Are you there wolf? What are you doing? Can you hear me?”.  To give you better understanding, here is the complete nursery rhyme “Loup y es-tu“.

The wolf improvises and responds to what suits him, for example «Je mets ma culotte» or”I am getting dressed!” ou «Je fais mon ménage» or ”I am doing my chores!”  etc...  Then suddenly the Wolf responds «Oui, j’y suis…pour vous manger!!!!!» or ”Yes, I am here and I will EAT YOUUUU” and he runs after the players. Whoever he catches becomes the wolf and the game starts again.

Bobbing for apples

Preparation : 

Materiel :  

  • 1 basin filled with water (a child’s head must be able to fit inside of it), as well as an apple per participant.

Place the two basins on two separate chairs, about one or two meters apart. Immerse an apple per child in each basin.

Divide the participants into two equal teams and draw a starting line about twenty meters from the pools.

The game : 

Children must use their teeth to lift apples from the bottom of a basin filled with water. Place the teams in two columns at the starting line. They will compete in the form of a relay race.
At your signal, the first participants of each team must rush towards their basin and remove the apple placed at the bottom of the basin with their teeth without the use of their hands, which are placed behind their backs. They must then return and cross the finish line, without dropping the apple from their mouth. The next participant starts as soon as the previous participant crosses the finish line.
The winning team is the one that brought the most apples to the finish line, without dropping them. If the score is tied, the fastest team wins.

To make the race more difficult, you can add obstacles.

At the end of the game, you can even eat your apples after cleaning them.

Let the games begin!

Determine the order of the games, the course of the tournament and explain the rules of the different games. Here are a few other games  a few other games you could chose to add to the tournament!

Have fun, blow off some steam, and enjoy this family time! Don’t spend too much time calculating points and rules, just enough to give structure to the tournament!

Don’t forget to take pictures!

Diary

In today’s diary, the children can document the day’s activity. For example, by drawing the whole family participating together, or if you can print funny photos of the family playing together and glue them in the log book, that’s great!

If your child is documenting alone, you are invited to ask him or her questions to feed and improve the journal entry. Here are some questions you can ask:

  • How could we make the games more difficult?  
  • Can you think of other games that we could include in the next tournament?  
  • Who was the best Wolf? And who was the best surveillant?  

 

Did you know… 

  • … The tradition of the Egg and spoon race dates back to the 19th century in England? The game remains just as fun and challenging today!
  • …Every year in the Netherlands, we celebrate the king’s birthday on April 27? On this day, there are activities and festivals throughout the country and everyone dresses in national colors: red, white, blue and especially orange. The latter is due to the surname of King Van Oranje (orange).
    People all go out with wigs, crazy costumes, colorful faces and bodies, and royal accessories (like crowns). One of the great traditions of this day is the game of Koekhappen.
  • … The Game ”Loup y es-tu” was inspired by the French nursery rhyme for children “Loup y es-tu”, composed around the 17th century.

 

Activity by M.Coco